Objective To explore the method of preparing spongy and porous scaffold materials with swine articular cartilage acellular matrix and to investigate its appl icabil ity for tissue engineered articular cartilage scaffold. Methods Fresh swine articular cartilage was freeze-dried and freeze-ground into microparticles. The microparticles with diameter of less than 90 μm were sieved and treated sequentially with TNE, pepsin and hypotonic solution for decellularization at cryogenic temperatures. Colloidal suspension with a mass/volume ratio of 2% was prepared by dissolving the microparticles into 1.5% HAc, and then was lyophil ized for molding and cross-l inked by UV radiation to prepare the decellularized cartilage matrix sponge. Physicochemical property detection was performed to identify aperture, porosity and water absorption rate. Histology and scanning electron microscope observations were conducted. The prepared acellular cartilage matrix sponge was implanted into the bilateral area of spine in 24 SD rats subcutaneously (experimental group), and the implantation of Col I sponge served as control group. The rats were killed 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks after operation to receive histology observation, and the absorption and degeneration conditions of the sponge in vivo were analyzed. BMSCsobtained from femoral marrow of 1-week-old New Zealand white rabbits were cultured. The cells at passage 3 were cultured with acellular cartilage matrix sponge l ixivium at 50% (group A), acellular cartilage matrix sponge l ixivium at 100% (group B), and DMEM culture medium (group C), respectively. Cell prol iferation was detected by MTT method 2, 4, and 6 days after culture. Results The prepared acellular cartilage matrix sponge was white and porous. Histology observation suggested that the sponge scaffold consisted primarily of collagen without chondrocyte fragments. Scanning electron microscope demonstrated that the scaffold had porous and honeycomb-shaped structure, the pores were interconnected and even in size. The water absorption rate was 20.29% ± 25.30%, the aperture was (90.66 ± 21.26) μm, and the porosity of the scaffold was 90.10% ± 2.42%. The tissue grew into the scaffold after the subcutaneous implantation of scaffold into the SD rats, angiogenesis was observed, inflammatory reaction was mild compared with the control group, and the scaffold was degraded and absorbed at a certain rate. MTT detection suggested that there were no significant differences among three groups in terms of absorbance (A) value 2 and 4 days after culturing with the l ixivium (P gt; 0.05), but significant differences were evident among three groups 6 days after culturing with the l ixivium (P lt; 0.05). Conclusion With modified treatment and processing, the cartilage acellular matrix sponge scaffold reserves the main components of cartilage extracellular matrix after thorough decellularization, has appropriate aperture and porosity, and provides even distribution of pores and good biocompatibil ity without cytotoxicity. It can be used as an ideal scaffold for cartilage tissue engineering.
Objective To obtain highly purified and large amount of Schwann cells (SCs) by improved primary culture method, to investigate the biocompatibility of small intestinal submucosa (SIS) and SCs, and to make SIS load nerve growth factor (NGF) through co-culture with SCs. Methods Sciatic nerves were isolated from 2-3 days old Sprague Dawley rats and digested with collagenase II and trypsin. SCs were purified by differential adhesion method for 20 minutes and treated with G418 for 48 hours. Then the fibroblasts were further removed by reducing fetal bovine serum to 2.5% in H-DMEM. MTT assay was used to test the proliferation of SCs and the growth curve of SCs was drawn. The purity of SCs was calculated by immunofluorescence staining for S-100. SIS and SCs at passage 3 were co-cultured in vitro. And then the adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation of SCs were investigated by optical microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The NGF content by SCs was also evaluated at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7 days by ELISA. SCs were removed from SIS by repeated freeze thawing after 3, 5, 7, 10, 13, and 15 days of co-culture. The NGF content in modified SIS was tested by ELISA. Results The purity of SCs was more than 98%. MTT assay showed that the SCs entered the logarithmic growth phase on the 3rd day, and reached the plateau phase on the 7th day. SCs well adhered to the surface of SIS by HE staining and SEM; SCs were fusiform in shape with obvious prominence and the protein granules secreted on cellular surface were also observed. Furthermore, ELISA measurement revealed that, co-culture with SIS, SCs secreted NGF prosperously without significant difference when compared with the control group (P gt; 0.05). The NGF content increased with increasing time. The concentration of NGF released from SIS which were cultured with SCs for 10 days was (414.29 ± 20.87) pg/cm2, while in simple SIS was (4.92 ± 2.06) pg/cm2, showing significant difference (P lt; 0.05). Conclusion A large number of highly purified SCs can be obtained by digestion with collagenase II and trypsin in combination with 20-minute differential adhesion and selection by G418. SIS possesses good biocompatibility with SCs, providing the basis for further study in vivo to fabricate the artificial nerve conduit.
Objective To evaluate the effect of copper-ion on the prol iferation and differentiation of human umbil ical vein endothel ial cell (HUVEC). Methods HUVEC were cultured and passaged in vitro. HUVEC were inoculated into 96-well plate with density of 5 × 103/well. All the cells were divided into 3 groups randomly according to different culture mediums: group A (5 μmol/L CuSO4), group B (25 μmol/L CuSO4), group C (control group). Every group had 4 wells, and the basic culture medium was MCDB131. The cell growth curves of 3 groups were drawn by using MTT. HUVEC were inoculated into 6-well plate with density of 2 × 105/well. Grouping of the cells was the same as the above. The gene expressions of endothel ial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and tyrosine kinase with immunoglobul in-l ike and EGF-l ike domain 1 (Tie-1) were detected by real-time RT-PCR. Results The growth curves revealed that the exponential growth time was the first 3 days, plateau growth time begun on the 4th day. The prol iferation of group A was ber than that of groups B and C from the 3rd day, within 2 days, the prol iferation of group B was ber than that of group C; however, it decreased and was weaker than group C from the 4th day, all showing statistically significant difference (P lt; 0.05). The results of real-time RT-PCR revealed that the expressions of eNOS in groups A, B and C were 7.294 ± 1.488, 0.149 ± 0.044 and 1.000 ± 0.253; and the expressions of Tie-1 in groups A, B and C were 1.481 ± 0.137, 1.131 ± 0.191 and 1.000 ± 0.177. Group A compared with groups B and C, both of 2 genes were up-regulated (P lt; 0.05). Group B compared with group C, eNOS was down-regulated (P lt; 0.05) and the difference of Tie-1 expression was not statistically significant (P gt; 0.05). Conclusion 5 μmol/L copper-ion can promote the prol iferation and differentiation of HUVEC effectively.
【Abstract】 Objective To explore an effective method to cultivate esophageal mucosa epithel ial cells (EMECs)of canine in vitro, and to observe the biological characteristics of EMECs growing on SIS in order to provide an experimental basis for esophagus tissue engineering. Methods Esophageal tissues were obtained from five healthy dogs aged 2 to 5 weeks under sterile conditions. The primary EMECs were cultivated with defined keratinocyte serum free medium (DKSFM) containing 6% FBS. The morphological characteristics and the growth curve of EMECs of the 2nd generation were observed for 1 to 5 days. The expressions of the EMECs marker (cytokeratin 19, CK-19) were examined by immunocytochemistry. The 2nd generation of EMECs was seeded on SIS and observed by HE staining, immunohistochemical staining, and SEM for 4 and 8 days. Results The primary culture of canine EMECs arranged l ike slabstone. Immunohistochemical staining of CK-19 of the2nd generation EMECs showed positive broadly. The cells growth reached the peak level at 2 days by MTT method. E MECs werepolygon in shape and arranged l ike slabstone, and formed a single layer on the surface of SIS. The cells were contact ed closely with each other for 4 days. Eight days later, 2 to 3 layers stratified structure was formed. Lots of EMECs were grown on SIS, andshowed laminate arrangement. Conclusion With mixed enzymatic digestion, the culture of EMECs in DKSFM containing 6 %FBS is a simple and feasible method. SIS shows good biocompatibil ity and can be used as a good scaffold material in th e tissue engineered esophagus.
Objective To investigate the feasibil ity of inducing canine BMSCs to differentiate into epithel ial cells in vitro with epithel ial cell conditioned medium (ECCM). Methods Five mL BMSCs were obtained from il iac spine of a healthy adult male canine with weighing 10 kg, and then isolated and cultured. The oral mucosa was harvested and cut into 4 mm × 4 mm after the submucosa tissue was el iminated; ECCM was prepared. BMSCs of the 2nd passage were cultured and divided into two groups, cultured in ECCM as experimental group and in L-DMEM as control group. The cell morphological characteristics were observed and the cell growth curves of two groups were drawn by the continual cell counting. The cells were identified by immunohistochemical staining through detecting cytokeratin 19 (CK-19) and anti-cytokeratin AE1/AE3 on the21st day of induction. The ultra-structure characteristics were observed under transmission electron microscope. Results The cells of two groups showed long-fusiform in shape and distributed uniformly under inverted phase contrast microscope. The cell growth curves of two groups presented S type. The cell growth curve of the experimental group was right shifted, showing cell prol iferation inhibition in ECCM. The result of immunohistochemical staining for CK-19 and anti-cytokeratin AE1/AE3 was positive in the experimental group, confirming the epithel ial phenotype of the cells; while the result was negative in the control group. The cells were characterized by tight junction under transmission electron microscope. Conclusion The canine ECCM can induce allogenic BMSCs to differentiate into epithel ial cells in vitro.