Biological characteristics of newborn rabbit tracheal chondrocytes / 中国病理生理杂志

ABSTRACT

[ ABSTRACT] AIM:To investigate the biological characteristics of newborn rabbit tracheal chondrocytes in vitro. METHODS:Newborn rabbit tracheal chondrocytes were obtained by the method of enzyme digestion, and then cultured in monolayer in vitro.Morphological and growth observations were performed under inverted phase contrast microscope.The ultrastructures of the cells were observed under scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope.The bi-ological characteristics of secreted extracellular matrix components were detected by real-time PCR, immunocytochemistry staining and toluidine blue staining.RESULTS: Newborn rabbit tracheal chondrocytes isolated and cultured in vitro showed short triangular or irregular shapes, and adherent growth very well.The ultrastructures of the cells showed pore and abundant cytoplasm and organelles, with a lot of protein secretions in the cells.The chondrocytes expressed the mRNA of collagen I, collagen II and proteoglycans, mainly collagen II and proteoglycans.Immunocytochemistry staining showed col-lagen II and SOX9 positive, and collagen I weakly positive.Toluidine blue staining was also positive.CONCLUSION:Enzyme digestion and monolayer culture are suitable method to obtain newborn rabbit tracheal chondrocytes.These cells, secreting extracellular matrix components, are able to be selected as seed cells for tissue engineering of trachea in vitro, and used to study the therapeutic method for neonatal rabbit tracheal stenosis.