Construction of epiphyseal cartilage in rabbits with microencapsulated epiphyseal plate chondrocytes

Objective To investigate the possibility to construct of ectopic tissue-engineered epiphyseal cartilage in rabbits with calcium alginate and polylysine microencapsulated chondrocytes. Methods Rabbit ectopic chondrocytes were inoculated into calcium alginate and polylysine gel microspheres.After the microspheres were cultured,they were implanted into the rabbit dorsal subcutaneous tissue.Samples were taken after 2,4,and 8 weeks,respectively,for gross histological observation. Results The chondrocyes in microspheres grew and proliferated quite well during in vitro culture.A new parallel-epiphyseal cartilaginous tissue was found in the subcutaneous tissue 4 weeks after operation.The tissue was stained with HE,toluidine blue,safranine O and collagenⅡ.A large number of chondrocytes and a cartilage lacuna-like structure were observed under a microscope with no obvious inflammatory reaction around the calcium alginate and polylysine microspheres. Conclusion Calcium alginate and polylysine microspheres have a rather good histocompatibility and can be used to construct epiphysis plate-like cartilage tissues by implanting them into homologuous animals.