In vitro Evaluation of Biosynthetic Activity of the Human Osteoarthritic Chondrocytes Embedded in Collagen Gel
Keywords:
osteoarthritis, chondrocyte, collagen gel, culture, chondroitin sulfate, keratan sulfate, collagenAbstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the capacity of human osteoarthritic
chondrocytes to synthesize the cartilage matrix components: chondroitin sulfate (CS), keratan sulfate (KS) and colagens (COL). The study was performed on cells embedded in type II collagen gel. Specific COL staining and glycosaminoglycan (CS, KS) immunohistochemical examinations demonstrated that the osteoarthritic cartilage cells maintain their anabolic ability. Despite the biosynthetic activity displayed by chondrocytes, a net loss of the extracellular matrix represents the hallmark of all stages of osteoarthritic cartilage degeneration. This leads to the assumption that overall enzymatic degradation of the extracellular matrix components might be the reason for the metabolic imbalance in osteoarthritic cartilage.
