IN-VITRO PREFABRICATION OF HUMAN CARTILAGE SHAPES USING FIBRIN GLUE AND HUMAN CHONDROCYTES

We report the first generation of human cartilage from fibrin glue usi ng a technique of molding chondrocytes in fibrin glue developed in our laboratory. Human costal chondrocytes were suspended in cryoprecipita te and polymerized into a human nasal shape with bovine thrombin. Afte r culture in vitro for 4 weeks, this construct was implanted subcutane ously into a nude mouse. The final construct harvested after 4 weeks i n vivo demonstrated some preservation of its original features. Histol ogical analysis showed features of native cartilage, including matrix synthesis and viable chondrocytes by nuclear staining. Biochemical ana lysis demonstrated active matrix production, Biomechanical testing was performed. To our knowledge this is the first reported creation of hu man cartilage from fibrin glue, and the first creation of human cartil age in vitro. This technique may become a promising means of engineeri ng precisely designed autogenous cartilage for human reconstruction.