Effect Of Simulated Microgravity On Human Chondrocyte-Like Cells

Background: Cartilage tissue engineering shows a promising prospect for human cartilage reconstruction. However, the effect of microgravity rotating culture system on the proliferation of tissue-engineered human chondrocyte-like cells remains poorly understood. Materials and methods: Chondrocyte-like cells differentiated from human multipotent adult progenitor cells were seeded in the three-dimensional composite scaffold. They were cultured for three weeks under simulated microgravity environment by rotating cell culture system or under the static environment. Structure of complexes was determined by scanning electron microscopy, while HE-staining, immunohistological staining for type II collagen and MTT assay of both group samples were conducted after three-week culture. Results: Micrographs under scanning electron microscopy represented the structure of scaffold, in which chondrocyte-like cells appeared. HE-staining analysis exhibited more cells within the scaffold in the simulated microgravity group than that in the control group. The immunohistological staining result showed that the contents of collagen type II were higher in chondrocyte-like cells exposed to simulated microgravity. The chondrocyte-like cells proliferated faster in the simulated microgravity group than that in normal group as demonstrated by MTT assay. Conclusions: Simulated microgravity promotes the proliferation and matrix production of tissue-engineered human chondrocyte-like cells, suggesting the promising prospect of simulated microgravity by rotating cell culture system combined with tissue-engineered cartilage for human cartilage reconstruction.