Expansion and New Creation of Human Septal Cartilage from Biopsied Fragment: Using in vivo 3-D Culture of Chondrocytes / 대한이비인후과학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The use of autogenous cartilage has the problem of donor site morbidity and limited supply in reconstructive surgery. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to increase the size and the volume of the autogenous small cartilage by the new three dimensional culture technique. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The chondrocytes from biopsied human septal cartilage were subcultured. The increased cells were encapsulated with calcium alginate and were injected to the subcutaneous tissue of the athymic nude mouse for in vivo 3-dimensional culture. RESULTS: After 8 weeks of the injection, the implanted subcutaneous nodule was seemed to be the natural cartilage and the histoarchtectures revealed characteristics of the hyaline cartilage. CONCLUSION: This results suggest that the small biopsied cartilage can be expanded by the techniques of subculture and the 3-dimensional culture., and can potentially overcome the limited availability of autogenous donor cartilage.