Stabilization of fibrin-chondrocyte constructs for cartilage reconstruction

Cartilage replacement is a challenging issue in reconstructive surgery, In the past few years, tissue engineering has been tested as a means of cartil age reconstruction. Tissue engineering of cartilage depends on the use of a dequate polymers. In addition to several natural and synthetic polymers, fi brin gel has been tested for cartilage reconstruction. However, fibrin is i ntrinsically unstable. The purpose of this study was to stabilize fibrin by increased fibrinolytic inhibition and to test these preparations for carti lage reconstruction with human nasal septum chondrocytes, Increased fibrino lytic inhibition was achieved with aprotinin and tranexamic acid. Stabilize d fibrin-chondrocyte constructs were cultivated for 4 weeks in vitro and co mpared with constructs made of standard, commercially available fibrin gel. The effect of several cell densities on stability, and the production of e xtracellular matrix components, were assessed on the basis of histology and immunohistochemistry. In contrast to constructs made of standard fibrin ge l, stabilized constructs were stable for the entire observation period and demonstrated no or only minor shrinkage. Cells in these constructs appeared to be viable, and an extracellular matrix could be demonstrated in all con structs. The authors conclude that fibrin-chondrocyte constructs stabilized by increased fibrinolytic inhibition could be an adequate tool for cartila ge reconstruction.