CULTURE AND CHARACTERIZATION OF JUVENILE RABBIT TENOCYTES

The culture of rabbit tenocytes could be a useful model in the study o f the physiopathology and pharmacotoxicology of tendons. This work was undertaken to examine the in vitro behavior of tenocytes from juvenil e rabbit Achilles tendons. We report observations of the morphological and biological characteristics of primary culture and subsequent pass ages of rabbit tendon cells cultured in monolayer. Data obtained by el ectron microscopy and growth curves were complementary. After 36 passa ges, the generation time of tenocytes did not change and no sign of se nescence could be seen. Primary culture and the first passages retaine d the expression of tenocyte differentiated functions, synthesis of ty pe I collagen and decorin. Cell growth behavior was not modified upon passaging. However, when subcultured, tenocytes displayed a modulated phenotype.