Repairing cartilage defects using chondrocyte and osteoblast composites developed using a bioreactor.

Background: Articular cartilage injury is a common disease, and the incidence of articular wear, degeneration, trauma and sports injury is increasing, which often lead to disability and reduced quality of life. Unfortunately repair of articular cartilage defects do not always provide satisfactory outcomes.

Methods: Chondrocyte and osteoblast composites were co-cultured using a bioreactor. The cartilage defects were treated with cell-β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) composites implanted into osteochondral defects in dogs, in vivo, using mosaicplasty, by placing chondrocyte-β-TCP scaffold composites on top of the defect and osteoblast-β-TCP scaffold composites below the defect.

Results: Electron microscopy revealed that the induced chondrocytes and osteoblast showed fine adhesive progression and proliferation in the β-TCP scaffold. The repaired tissues in the experimental group maintained their thickness to the full depth of the original defects, as compared with the negative control group (q = 12.3370, P < 0.01; q = 31.5393, P < 0.01).

Conclusions: Perfusion culture provided sustained nutrient supply and gas exchange into the center of the large scaffold. This perfusion bioreactor enables the chondrocytes and osteoblasts to survive and proliferate in a three-dimensional scaffold.