RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the use of alginate three-dimensional culture system for mandibular condylar chondrocytes culture in vitro from human osteoarthritic temporomandibular joint.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The cultured mandibular condylar chondrocytes from the operatively removed cartilage from a patient with osteoarthritic temporomandibular joint were harvested by mechanical dissection and enzyme digestion. Partial chondrocytes were suspended in the aqueous sodium alginate beads with high seeding density and cultured for 4 weeks, while the others were cultured in monolayer culture condition for 1 week. Thereafter, the alginate beads were embedded in paraffin and sectioned, then studied immunologically with type II collagen antibody and aggrecan antibody, same studies were adopted for the monolayer cultures.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The monolayer cultures were confirmed as chondrocytes. The chondrocytes cultured in the alginate medium showed well. These cells exhibited the excellent differentiated phenotype after 4 weeks culture in alginate gel.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The condylar chondrocytes from human osteoarthritic temporomandibular joint were successfully cultured in vitro. The alginate three-dimensional culture system was successfully adopted for in vitro culture of condylar chondrocytes from human osteoarthritic temporomandibular joint, in which the chondrocytes exhibited the excellent differentiated phenotype.</p>