Human meniscus cell - Characterization of the primary culture and use for tissue engineering

Human meniscus cells from 47 surgically excised menisci were grown in prima ry culture. Cell proliferation and morphologic features were evaluated in t hree different culture media. Human meniscus cells showed three distinguish able cell types in monolayer culture: elongated fibroblastlike cells, polyg onal cells, and small round chondrocytelike cells. These cells proliferated in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium, but by Day 7, elongated fibroblastl ike cells became predominant. Cells did not proliferate in Ham's nutrient m ixture-F-12. In a mixture of Ham's nutrient mixture-F-12 and Dulbecco's mod ified Eagle's medium, cells proliferated, maintaining their morphologic fea tures and their ability to express messenger ribonucleic acids for aggrecan and Types I, II, and III collagen. Hyaluronan enhanced cellular proliferat ion without altering morphologic features or chondroitin sulfate production . Cultured human meniscus cells attached to a porous collagen sponge after cell seeding. Gene transfer was successful and an introduced gene was expre ssed by the cells, indicating that human meniscus cells can undergo gene ma nipulation. The finding that cells collected from small surgical specimens of human meniscus could be cultured, propagated, and seeded onto a collagen scaffold holds promise for the development of a cell-based, tissue enginee red collagen meniscus.