Growth and repair of cartilage: Organ culture system utilizing chondroprogenitor cells of condylar cartilage in newborn mice

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Abstract
The zone of progenitor cells of mandibular condyles of neonatal mice was kept in an organ culture system for up to 8 days. Qualitative and quantitative determinations indicated a pronounced proliferative activity during the initial phases of the culture followed by a differentiation phase and the acquisition of typical hyaline cartilage. The mature hypertrophic chondrocytes were found to be surrounded by cartilage-specific macromolecules such as type II collagen, cartilage proteoglycans, and cartilage anchorin. The extracellular mineralization proceeded along matrix vesicles as is usually noted in vivo. A unique finding in this study was the observation that explants comprising cartilage progenitor cells and their adjacent extracellular matrix succeeded in repairing the damaged condylar in vitro.
Funding Information
  • Fund for the Promotion of Research at the Technion (Nr 185–032)
  • European Molecular Biology Organization (Nr 4448)