In Vitro Culture Techniques of Human Osteoarthritis Chondrocytes

Objective To study the separation and cultivation of human osteoarthritis chondrocytes.Methods Cartilage slices were harvested from 10 osteoarthritis patients during arthroscopic surgery.The cartilage slices were digested with 0.2% collagenase Ⅱ and 0.25% trypsin,and cultured in monolayer cell in vitro.During the cultivation,the chondrocytes' shape,growth and proliferation were observed.Results Chondrocyte could be effectively isolated by digesting with collagenase Ⅱ and trypsin.The osteoarthritis chondrocytes proliferated slowly and showed weak heterochromia to toluidine blue and immunohistochemical stain of collagen type Ⅱ.Conclusions It is an effective method to digest cartilage by collagenase Ⅱ and trypsin.The cultured chondrocyte in vitro has biological characteristics of human osteoarthritis degenerated cartilage and this method could be useful for the diagnosis and treatment of osteoarthritis.