Preparation of chondrocyte aggregates with gelatin microspheres to promote cartilage regeneration.

Research Project

Project/Area Number	23659831
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
Allocation Type	Multi-year Fund
Research Field	Plastic surgery
Research Institution	Kyoto University
Principal Investigator	KAWAI Katsuya 京都大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 准教授 (90273458)
Project Period (FY)	2011 – 2013
Project Status	Completed (Fiscal Year 2013)
Budget Amount *help	¥3,770,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥870,000) Fiscal Year 2013: ¥650,000 (Direct Cost: ¥500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥150,000) Fiscal Year 2012: ¥1,170,000 (Direct Cost: ¥900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥270,000) Fiscal Year 2011: ¥1,950,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥450,000)
Keywords	再生医学 / 国際情報交流
Research Abstract	This study developed a novel 3D culture procedure; chondrocyte aggregates with gelatin microspheres to promote cartilage regeneration.The viability of chondrocytes and the sulfated glycosaminoglycan production of chondrocytes in an aggregate with microspheres were significantly higher compared with that of aggregate without microspheres. This result indicated that chondrocyte aggregates with microspheres enhanced chondrogenic differentiation in vitro. Moreover, in vivo implantation study, the area of regenerated cartilaginous tissue in the group of chondrocyte aggregates with microspheres was larger than that of chondrocyte aggregates without microspheres. In conclusion, this novel procedure may allow for the development of cartilage regeneration.