The Biological Characteristics of Chondrocytes from Osteoarthritis Patients in Vitro

Abstract：Objective To study the methods for isolation,culture and identification of articular chondrocytes as well as the biological characteristics from osteoarthritis patients in vitro. Methods Cartilage was harvested under sterile conditions from osteoarthritis knee joints in total knee arthroplasty. Human articular chondrocytes were isolated by using two-step enzymatic di-gestion,and the cells were cultured and subcultured respectively in vitro. Cell morphology were observed under phase-contrast microscope,toluidine blue staining,type Ⅱ collagen immunohistochemistry staining and growth curve was drawn. Results The morphology of osteoarthritis chondrocytes was similar to fibroblasts,and the growth rate was slowly. It could get a confluent layer after culture for about two weeks and appeared distinct differentiation in passage four. Toluidine blue staining and type Ⅱ colla-gen immunohistochemistry staining showed that the chondrocytes cultured in vitro maintained the specific chondrocytes pheno-type in the first 4 passages. Conclusion Within 4 passages,the osteoarthritis chondrocytes grew well with obviously biological characteristics and turned to dedifferentiation after 4 passages.