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[Repair of meniscal defects with autologous tissue-engineered fibrocartilage]
Yimin Cui1, Yilin Cao, Qingxin Shang
1Tissue Engineering Research Center of Shanghai Second Medical University, Department of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai No. 9 People's Hospital, Affiliated to Shanghai Second Medical University, Shanghai 200011, China.
Objective:
To repair critical-sized meniscal defects in an immunocompetent mammal by tissue engineering approach.
Methods:
15 45-day-old Changfeng crossbred pigs were selected as experimental animals. Autologous fibrochondrocytes were obtained from left knee menisci by modified Klagsbrun's method and were proliferated in vitro to a proper amount. A 1-cm-long full-layer defect of right medial meniscus was created anterior to the medial collateral ligament. PGA-fibrochondrocyte-Pluronic complex, fibrochondrocyte-Pluronic complex or PGA only was respectively implanted into the defects. We used intact menisci and untreated meniscal defects as controls. Samples respectively obtained in 9 w, 16 w and 25 w were appraised by general observation, histology, biochemistry and biomechanics.
Results:
From the sights of general morphology, histological structure and Young's Modulus (59.7% of that in normal meniscus at 25 w), the PGA-cell-Pluronic complex can form the best quality tissue, which can stabilize the GAG ratio (74.5% of that in normal cartilage at 25 w) of femoral entocondyle cartilage.
Conclusion:
Autologous tissue-engineered fibrocartilage is a promising feasible method to regenerate or reconstruct menisci so as to hold back the degenerative changes of the knee.