RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: Articular cartilage has a highly limited capacity to repair because of lack of blood supply. There have been no effective modality to regenerate the articular cartilage and prevent degenerative changes. It is necessary to proliferate the cells in vitro, however the cells lose their phenotype during in vitro monolayer culture. Although it is not enough to increase the number of the cells in the three dimensional culture, it is a effective way to maintain their original phenotype expression. Alginate has been used as a good source of scaffold in chondrocyte three dimensional culture. The objective of this study was to find the most favorable scaffold for chondrocyte viability among various alginate extracted from natural source in chondrocyte three dimensional culture. METHODS: The alginate extracted from brown seaweed, Undaria pinnatifida and sea tangle, Laminaria japonica inhabitating near Korean sea and commercially available alginate were used. Chondrocytes isolated from adult pig were used. Three kinds of chondrocyte-alginate bead were made and incubated for forty-four days. Cellular viability and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content were measured and compared. SPSS Version 10.0 was used for data analysis. RESULTS: Viability of chondrocyte and GAG content were increased as a function of time. Alginate from brown seaweed, U. pinnatifida appeared more favorable to maintain chondrocyte viability than others. The total GAG content was similar among three kinds of alginate CONCLUSION: Alginate extracted from natural see weed, especially brown seaweed, may be a good source to maintain chondrocyte viability in three dimensional culture.