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Updated: Aug 16, 2026
Mechanical Stimulation of Chondrocyte-agarose Hydrogels
Published on: October 27, 2012
Proliferative and re-defferentiative effects of photo-immobilized micro-patterned hyaluronan surfaces on chondrocyte
Rolando Barbucci1, Paola Torricelli, Milena Fini
1C.R.I.S.M.A. and Department of Chemical and Biosystems Sciences and Technologies, University of Siena, Via A. Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy. barbucci@unisi.it
Abstract:
A photo-immobilisation procedure was utilised to create two different micro-patterned surfaces (tracks 25 and 5 microm wide) of hyaluronan (Hyal) on polyethylene-terephthalate (PET) previously plasma activated. Aim of the study was to investigate the proliferation and re-differentiation capacity of articular chondrocytes cultured on micro-patterned Hyal, compared to homogeneous Hyal and plain plasma-treated (pt-)PET substrates. Cytotoxicity, cell proliferation, activation and differentiation of articular knee cartilage chondrocytes (Mongrel sheep) were evaluated after 14 days of culture. It was found that micro-patterned Hyal surfaces induced the adhesion, migration and alignment of chondrocytes, as shown by light and scanning electron microscopy. Furthermore, the same surfaces induced chondrocyte differentiation, with a significant increase of aggrecan and collagen type II production, while homogeneous Hyal and pt-PET surfaces did not.
