HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Personal Folders Download to citation manager Author home page(s): Paolo Macchiarini Permission Requests Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Walles, T. Articles by Mertsching, H. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Walles, T. Articles by Mertsching, H. Related Collections Trachea and bronchi

Ann Thorac Surg 2004;78:444-448
© 2004 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

---

Original article: general thoracic

Expansion of chondrocytes in a three-dimensional matrix for tracheal tissue engineering

^a Department of Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Heidehaus Hospital, Hannover, Germany
^b Tissue Engineering Network, Medical School Hannover, Hannover, Germany

Accepted for publication February 10, 2004.

^* Address reprint requests to Dr Walles, Department of Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Heidehaus Hospital, Am Leineufer 70, D-30149 Hannover, Germany
e-mail: twalles{at}yahoo.com

BACKGROUND: The generation of autologous tracheal implants by tissue-engineering techniques is a promising concept for otherwise untreatable patients. A functional cartilaginous backbone represents a prerequisite for any bioartificial tracheal graft. The aim of this study was to define suitable cell types and culture conditions for the generation of tracheal cartilage.

METHODS: We obtained tracheal, costal, and auricular cartilage from porcine donor animals (n = 10). The chondrocytes were cultured two-dimensionally in cell flasks or mixed with a liquid collagen solution forming a three-dimensional culture system. Labeling with carboxy fluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester (CFDA SE) and biochemical reduction of formazan served to determine cell viability and proliferation. The extracellular matrix produced by the chondrocytes was characterized by Western blot.

RESULTS: The CFDA SE labeling proved viability and the MTT assays documented a proliferation of the chondrocytes over time in vitro. While the chondrocytes in the three-dimensional cell culture system produced hyaline cartilage composed of collagen II, the two-dimensional culture conditions resulted in nonspecific collagen synthesis.

CONCLUSIONS: Chondrocytes grown in a three-dimensional matrix can effectively proliferate and produce cartilage and are viable for more than 2 weeks. Costal chondrocytes are suitable for tracheal cartilage tissue engineering.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. Hampel, I. Dally, T. Walles, V. Steger, S. Veit, T. Kyriss, and G. Friedel Impact of neo-adjuvant radiochemotherapy on bronchial tissue viability Eur. J. Cardiothorac. Surg., February 1, 2010; 37(2): 461 - 466. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Walles, B. Giere, M. Hofmann, J. Schanz, F. Hofmann, H. Mertsching, and P. Macchiarini Experimental generation of a tissue-engineered functional and vascularized trachea J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg., December 1, 2004; 128(6): 900 - 906. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]