Identification and characterization of various differentiative growth plate chondrocytes from porcine by countercurrent centrifugal elutriation

Abstract

Countercurrent centrifugal elutriation was used to separate growth plate chondrocytes from porcine basing on their differences in sizes and densities. Eighteen fractions of cells with different sizes and densities were obtained. The mean cellular volumes increased progressively in each of successive fractions, and that increase was associated with specific phenotypic changes, such as biochemical differences in DNA synthesis, proteoglycan synthesis, and activities of alkaline phosphatase. Three distinct chondrocyte subpopulations with their unique characteristics were identified among the elutriated fractions. The resting chondrocytes were found to be small in size and quiescent. The hypertrophic chondrocytes were found to be large in size and metabolically active both in alkaline phosphatase and in proteoglycan productions. The proliferative chondrocytes exhibited a high DNA synthesis rate, and their sizes were found to be between those of the resting and hypertrophic chondrocytes.

Engineered allogeneic chondrocyte pellet for reconstruction of fibrocartilage zone at bone–tendon junction—A preliminary histological observation

“…Chondrocytes were isolated from the cartilaginous rib of 6-week-old New Zealand white rabbits and cultured for 14 days into a three-dimensional chondrocyte pellet using our established protocol [11][12][13] and also reported by others. 14,15 Isolation of Chondrocytes.…”

“…The use of allogeneic cultured chondrocytes may serve a good option for such application. We established a biosynthesed chondrocyte pellet using three‐dimensional chondrocyte culture in a rabbit model 11, 12. Such bioengineered cartilage was successfully applied as an allograft for growth plate reconstruction in a rabbit growth plate defect model 13, 14…”

“…We established a biosynthesed chondrocyte pellet using three-dimensional chondrocyte culture in a rabbit model. 11,12 Such bioengineered cartilage was successfully applied as an allograft for growth plate reconstruction in a rabbit growth plate defect model. 13,14 The present histological study was designed to investigate the use of an allogeneic cultured chondrocyte pellet (CCP) in accelerating BTJ healing and restoring the transitional fibrocartilage zone using the established partial patellectomy model in rabbits.…”

Bioengineering and Characterization of Physeal Transplant with Physeal Reconstruction Potential

“…The project was approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and the method for the isolation of growth plate chondrocytes is well established in our laboratory. 12,13 Chondrocytes were isolated from 6-week-old New Zealand White rabbits. After euthanasia, the rib cage was dissected aseptically.…”

Globular structure of the hypermineralized tissue in human femoral neck

“…Since our previous histological study showed the cartilaginous nature of HMT (Tang et al, 2019), we believed these lacunae were from chondrocytes. Even though the lacunae in HMT are larger than the chondrocytes in normal human articular cartilages (Hunziker et al, 2002), the enlargement of hypertrophic chondrocytes is well known in the mineralization of epiphyseal cartilage (Amizuka, 2012;Cooper et al, 2013;Lee et al, 1996). The larger but less densely distributed cellular lacunae in HMT indicated these cells were similar to enlarged chondrocytes.…”