[Use of Bioimplants to Replace Cartilage Part I: Chondrocyte Cultivation in Three-dimensional Gel.]

For the investigation pig chondrocytes were used which were cultivated in a medium containing cartilaginous collagen and aggregan. The substances used were identified by electrophoresis, chromatography and electron microscopy. Various conditions for cultivating chondrocytes were tested - a) a medium containing cartilaginous collagens only, b) with addition of aggregan, c) with addition of the tripeptide GHK, d) with addition of the tripeptide and aggregan. Under conditions of three-dimensional cultures the original phenotype of chondrocytes was preserved. In this respect the presence of aggregan was decisive. It proved possible to create a firm netlike formation which was subsequently used as a cartilaginous implant. Key words: cartilage, chondrocytes, cartilaginous chondrocytes, aggregan, three-dimensional gel, implant.