Issue 48, 2019

Solution viscosity regulates chondrocyte proliferation and phenotype during 3D culture

Abstract

Cells are surrounded by an extracellular matrix (ECM), which controls cellular functions through biological or physicochemical cues. In particular, cartilage tissues have abundant ECM that is viscoelastic and provides the necessary signals for the maintenance of chondrocyte activity and metabolism. The influence of ECM stiffness on chondrocyte functions has been broadly investigated using elastic hydrogels. However, it is not clear how viscosity impacts chondrocyte functions. In this study, a biphasic gelatin solution/hydrogel system was established for the three-dimensional culture of bovine articular chondrocytes (BACs) to investigate the influence of gelatin solution viscosity on chondrocyte proliferation, ECM secretion and the maintenance of the chondrocyte phenotype. Gelatin solutions of different viscosities supported chondrocyte proliferation and ECM production. However, the cell morphology, proliferation rate, secreted ECM quantity and gene expression levels were different, and these were dependent on the viscosity of the gelatin solutions. Low-viscosity solutions were more beneficial for proliferation, while high-viscosity solutions were more beneficial for ECM production and the expression of collagen type II and aggrecan. Chondrocytes had a more spread morphology in a low-viscosity gelatin solution than in a high-viscosity gelatin solution. The results suggested that high-viscosity was more beneficial for the maintenance of the chondrocyte phenotype, while low viscosity was more beneficial for cell expansion. Viscosity was demonstrated as one of the key parameters affecting cell morphology, proliferation and phenotype.

Graphical abstract: Solution viscosity regulates chondrocyte proliferation and phenotype during 3D culture

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
08 oct. 2019
Accepted
07 nov. 2019
First published
11 nov. 2019

J. Mater. Chem. B, 2019,7, 7713-7722

Solution viscosity regulates chondrocyte proliferation and phenotype during 3D culture

K. Lee, Y. Chen, X. Li, Y. Wang, N. Kawazoe, Y. Yang and G. Chen, J. Mater. Chem. B, 2019, 7, 7713 DOI: 10.1039/C9TB02204J

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements