Reconstruction of the elastic cartilage by isolated chondrocytes in autogeneic transplants

Abstract

Introduction It was found (MosKALEWSKI and KAWIAK [1965], MosKALEWSKI et al. [1966]) that chondrocytes isolated from adult hyaline cartilage are able to reconstruct cartilage in auto· or allogeneic transplants. Cartilage formed at the site of injection of the chon­ drocytes was of a similar morphological character to the material used for isolation. However, the intercellular matrix of the hyaline cartilage has a relatively limited number of distinct morphological features which could be utilized in following the development of such reconstructing cartilage. Therefore, in the present study an attempt was made to isolate chondrocytes from mature elastic cartilage and to com­ pare the process of reconstruction occurring after their transplantation with that of normal cartilage development. Since adult elastic tissue exhibits very slow elastin turnover (KAO et al. [1961], SLACK [1954]) it was also expected that our experimental model could offer some in­ formation on the ability of mature cells to undertake de novo the formation of elastic fibers.