Fabrication of shape-designable cartilage from human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived chondroprogenitors using a cell self-aggregation technique

Abstract

With the advancement of tissue engineering technologies, implantable materials have been developed for use in facial plastic surgery, including auriculoplasty and rhinoplasty. Tissue-engineered cartilage comprising only cells and cell-produced extracellular matrix is considered valuable as there is no need to consider problems associated with scaffold absorption or immune responses commonly related to conventional artificial materials. However, it is exceedingly difficult to produce large-sized complex shapes of cartilage without the use of scaffolds. In this study, we describe the production of shape-designable cartilage using a novel cell self-aggregation technique (CAT) and chondroprogenitor cells derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells as the source. The method described does not require special equipment such as bio-3D printers, and the produced tissue can be induced into well-matured cartilage with abundant cartilage matrix in vitro. Using CAT, we were able to generate cartilage in the form of rings or tubes with adjustable inner diameter and curvature, over a range of several centimeters, without the use of scaffolds. The in vitro fabrication of shape-designable cartilage using CAT is a promising development in facial plastic surgery.