Xenografts of articular chondrocytes in the nude mouse

Summary Subcutaneous transplantation of articular chondrocytes isolated enzymatically from immature rabbits and dogs into athymic (nu/nu) mice resulted in the formation of hyaline cartilaginous nodules. Graft rejection was seen when the cells were injected into heterozygous (nu/+) mice. Radiosulfate-labeled proteoglycan extracted from the xenografts had a high buoyant density and was digested by chondroitinase ABC. A monomeric preparation of proteoglycan (A1-D1) contained a small quantity of aggregate as assessed by gel chromatography and gel electrophoresis. Almost no incorporation of³H-thymidine was found by autoradiography. The matrix did not become calcified over the course of 42 days. The nude mouse system lends itself to testing a variety of problems in the biology of cartilage. These include the redifferentiation of chondrocytes following dedifferentiation in vitro. Species differences were found in this regard. The nodules formed by rabbit articular chondrocytes, grown in monolayer culture for up to 14 days, had a hyaline chondroid character. Dog chondrocytes that had “dedifferentiated,” during 14 days of culture prior to transplantation, formed a graft that had a sparse fibrous rather than hyaline matrix.     

Reimplantation of growth plate chondrocytes into growth plate defects in sheep

Defects in growth plates due to trauma, infection, or genetic causes can result in bone formation across the defect, bridging the epiphysis and metaphysis, resulting in growth arrest and limb deformation. We have investigated the capacity of implanted chondrocyte cultures to prevent this process. Sheep growth plate chondrocytes were isolated, and after culture at high density produced easily manipulated cartilaginous discs. The tissue was implanted into growth plate defects produced in lambs and the response was assessed histologically. Following implantation, cultures continued to proliferate and maintain a cartilage-like matrix. After 8 to 12 weeks, hypertrophic maturation chondrocyte columnation, and associated endochondral calcification were observed. Culture implantation was always associated with local immune inflammatory reaction, which continued throughout the course of investigation. Cellular survival was variable and resulted in the presence of viable implants as well as residual cartilage matrix devoid of chondrocytes; however, implanted chondrocyte discs always prevented bone bridge formation. These findings encourage the expectation that cultured chondrocytes may provide a useful replacement for the inert interpositional materials currently used in the treatment of growth arrest. The potential of this technique for growth plate replacement, however, requires a more predictable rate of implant survival. The likely reasons for implant loss are discussed.     

Effect of transforming growth factor-β on DNA synthesis by growth plate chondrocytes: Modulation by factors present in serum

Summary Chondrocytes in the growth plate undergo rapid proliferation during the process of enchondral ossification. The factors that regulate this proliferative activity have not been defined although several local autocrine or paracrine growth factors have recently been discovered in cartilage. Transforming growth factor-β₁ (TGF-β) is an important regulator of cell metabolism and growth and is present in cartilage. The present study was designed to examine the influence of TGF-β on DNA synthesis in chick epiphyseal chondrocytes. Chondrocytes were plated in serum-free (BSA-supplemented) medium or medium containing 10% FBS, and after 24 hours in monolayer culture, were treated with TGF-β caused a biphasic dose-dependent increase in thymidine incorporation. The effect was greatly increased in serum-containing cultures where a maximal 20-fold increase in thymidine incorporation occurred compared with the 21/2-fold maximal increase obtained in serum-free cultures. The effect was present by 12 hours and maximal between 0.3 and 1.0 ng/ml of TGF-β. Higher concentrations of TGF-β were less stimulatory. The serum enhancement was dependent upon the simultaneous presence of TGF-β and serum factors and was abolished when chondrocytes were plated and exposed to TGF-β in medium containing dialyzed FBS (12–14 kD MW membrane). The nature of the uptake and incorporation of thymidine into DNA by individual chondrocytes appeared to be the same in both TGF-β-treated and control cultures as the apparent K_ms were similar. The present study indicates that TGF-β increases DNA synthesis by growth plate chondrocytes. The effect is enhanced by factors present in serum.     

Cytosolic calcium concentration in bovine growth plate chondrocytes

The cytosolic free calcium ion concentration for mammalian cell systems is believed to be maintained within a narrow range compatible with cellular homeostasis. Growth plate chondrocytes have been shown to accumulate large quantities of calcium within their mitochondria, but the cytosolic free calcium concentration has not been determined. This study measures the cytosolic free ionic calcium concentration in growth plate chondrocytes using two variations of the Quin II fluorescence technique. The results indicate that in isolated growth plate chondrocytes, the cytosolic free ionic calcium concentration is similar to other nonmineralizing mammalian cell types (106–137 nM).     

Determination of proliferative characteristics of growth plate chondrocytes by labeling with bromodeoxyuridine

Summary Postnatal bone growth occurs by the process of endochondral ossification in cartilaginous growth plates at the ends of long bones. The rate and extent of long bone growth is determined by a combination of chondrocytic proliferation, matrix production, and increase in chondrocytic height in the direction of growth during cellular enlargement. In this study, single pulse and/or repeated pulse labeling with the thymidine analog bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) was used to study the role of cellular proliferation in controlling long bone growth. Variables studied included progression of the label over time following a pulse, and patterns and progression of the label over time following repeated pulse labeling for 24 and 48 hours. Examination was made of the proliferative characteristics of chondrocytes, the spatial pattern of cellular proliferation, and cell cycle kinetics. With respect to the spatial pattern of proliferative chondrocytes, results suggest that chondrocytes within a column are more synchronized with each other than are chondrocytes in different columns. This is consistent with the concept that each column represents a clonal expansion of a stem cell, which may proceed independently from adjacent columns. Despite this apparent heterogeneity, all chondrocytes in the proliferative zone complete at least one cell cycle in 24–28 hours. This estimate of the cell cycle time is significantly shorter than previous estimates of cell cycle times in similar growth plates. Our results also suggest that chondrocytes entering the cell cycle in the proximal part of the growth plate spend an average of 4 days in the proliferative cell zone, representing approximately four cellular divisions. After leaving the cell cycle, an additional 48 hours is required for the label to reach the terminal chondrocyte, which represents the time required to complete hypertrophy. These data are important when considering hypotheses concerning both the role of controls on proliferation in the determination of overall rate of long bone growth, as well as the interplay between proliferation and hypertrophy in regulating the overall amount of growth achieved by a given growth plate.     

Dwarfism in the Alaskan Malamute: Ultrastructural features of dwarf growth plate chondrocytes

Summary This study was performed in order to reexamine the ultrastructural morphology of the chondrocytes in the growth plates of dwarf Alaskan Malamutes and to obtain semiquantitative cytochemical data about the proteoglycans. Growth plates from age-matched dwarf and homozygous nonaffected Alaskan Malamutes were processed for routine transmission electron microscopy and also stained with ruthenium red. Chondrocytes in dwarf plates were observed to occur in clumps or cell nests. Within some of these nests, chondrocytes in the upper half of the zone of chondrocyte proliferation had bizarre shapes ranging from V-shaped to whorled or rounded. These chondrocytes contained profiles of markedly dilated rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER). Material within the RER cisternae stained positively with ruthenium red and was partially digestible with testicular hyaluronidase. The material could, therefore, represent either chondroitin sulfate or hyaluronate. The RER in these dwarf chondrocytes was not oriented parallel to the long axis of the cells; instead, it consisted of irregularly dilated cisternae. Granule counts performed on the zone of chondrocyte proliferation revealed a significant decrease in the number of ruthenium red granules in the interterritorial matrix of dwarf chondrocytes when compared to those of the homozygous nonaffected chondrocytes.     

Inhibitory effect of salmon calcitonin on bone resorption: Morphological study of the tibial growth plate in rats

Summary Salmon calcitonin (sCT) at doses of 100 and 50 UI given subcutaneously to growing rats produced in vivo evidence of osteoclastic activity inhibition. Histological assessment was carried out by measuring the perichondrial ring of Lacroix height, and a dose-correlated effect was found. These aspects were coupled with an increase in the osteoclast number and suggested that in studies with bone resorption inhibitors, morphological evaluation based on osteoclasts count is not reliable. The changes of the metaphysis suggested also that sCT affects the activity of hypertrophic chondrocytes of the growth plate. Plasma calcium levels did not differ significantly between treated rats and controls; an increased phosphatemia was observed in sCT-treated animals.     

大鼠胫骨生长板软骨细胞的分离与培养鉴定

目的 探讨高效生长板软骨细胞分离方法 和体外培养条件.方法 采用二步酶消化法对6只SD大鼠胫骨生长板的软骨细胞进行分离,采用含炭吸附过的胎牛血清培养基培养,按5×105个/瓶的密度接种细胞并对软骨细胞进行形态学观察和鉴定,描绘原代软骨细胞在无激素培养基中的生长曲线.结果 软骨细胞贴壁较慢,12 h后开始附壁,第8天时90%融合,互相连接成"铺路石"样结构.原代软骨细胞胞质Ⅱ型胶原免疫着色强阳性,传代后染色减弱.结论 本研究所采用的方法 能高效快速获得原代软骨细胞,原代软骨细胞最接近体内生理状态,最适合进行实验研究.     

大鼠椎体生长板软骨细胞的改良培养及传代特征

[目的]建立体外培养及鉴定大鼠椎体生长板软骨细胞的方法,观察软骨细胞的传代特征.[方法]采用改良胰酶和Ⅱ型胶原酶序贯消化法对4只1周龄SD大鼠椎体生长板软骨细胞进行体外分离、培养.原代细胞传代后采用细胞HE染色和甲苯胺蓝染色对软骨细胞进行鉴定,采用MTT比色法绘制细胞生长曲线.将细胞传代至第6代,采用倒置相差显微镜观察各代软骨细胞的形态,采用免疫细胞化学染色鉴定各代软骨细胞Ⅱ型胶原的表达.[结果]MTT比色法显示,传3代以前的软骨细胞的生长曲线近似"S"形,从第4 d开始细胞呈对数生长,第9 d达平台期,至第11 d开始出现生长抑制.体外培养的软骨细胞随着传代次数的增加,细胞形态由原代的多角形逐渐变为长梭形.传3代以前的软骨细胞Ⅱ型胶原免疫细胞化学呈强阳性.[结论]本研究所采用的软骨细胞分离和培养方法,能在短时间内获得高纯度的软骨细胞,传3代及以前的细胞具有软骨细胞的特征性表型,增殖较快,这一方法为更深入地从细胞水平研究椎体的纵向生长奠定了基础.     

A new method of investigating the efficacy of regional thermotherapy in subcutaneous xenografts of nude mice

Summary A new method of investigating the efficacy of regional thermotherapy in subcutaneous xenografts of nude mice is reported. The use of high frequency hyperthermia was well tolerated by the sensitive animals and allowed an exact continuous temperature measurement in different tumor regions. The interstitial procedure in this model could be the best approach for later clinical use in urology, e.g. for prostate treatment and is an alternativ to the transrectal hyperthermia application.Part of this paper was presented at the 9th Symposium of the Association for Experimental Urology of the German Urological Society, June 17–18, 1988, Aachen, Federal Republic of GermanyThis study was supported by the Stiftung Bauer     

Is longitudinal bone growth influenced by diurnal variation in the mitotic activity of chondrocytes of the growth plate?

The diurnal variations in the mitotic index, height, and rate of linear bone growth were determined and correlations between these parameters examined. Young, unweaned, female Wistar rats were housed under standardized conditions, labeled with a fluorochrome 60 h before sacrifice, and killed at intervals throughout a 24-h period, specifically 0600, 1200, 1800, and 2400. The proximal tibial epiphyseal growth plates were collected and processed, and the mitotic index, growth plate height, and the rate of linear bone growth were measured. The mitotic index measured at 0600 was significantly higher than that measured at 1800 and 2400. Growth plates of rats sacrificed at 1200 were taller than those of rats sacrificed at 1800, but there was no difference between heights of growth plates from rats sacrificed at other times. Daily growth rate for all rats averaged 283.9 microns/day and there were no statistically significant differences between daily growth rates measured at any time period. Our findings imply that in comparative, quantitative structural studies of animal groups, sacrifice should be carried out at identical times of the day, since, given a constant speed of vascular ingrowth and diurnal variation in width, relative diurnal accumulation and depletions of cells may take place. We also suggest that the daily growth rate and mitotic index be measured directly and not be considered a function of the height of the growth plate.     

Distribution of acidic glycosaminoglycans in rabbit growth plate cartilage

Chondroitin-4-sulfate (C-4-S), chondroitin-6-sulfate (C-6-S) and keratan sulfate (KS) concentrations were measured in growth plate cartilage derived from rabbits of two different ages, and from three growth plate zones from rabbits of the same age. With increasing age, the concentration of C-4-S increased, C-6-S decreased and KS remained constant. There was no variation when three different growth plate zones were sampled. Radiosulfate uptake into chondroitan sulfate was also measured, and this showed an inverse relationship to concentration with increasing age.Research supported in part by a grant from the Western Chapter (Pennsylvania) Arthritis Foundation; Research Grant AMI 1382-04 from the National Institute of Arthritis and Metabolic Diseases; and the Orthopaedic Research Fund, The Hospital for Joint Diseases.     

Visualization of living terminal hypertrophic chondrocytes of growth plate cartilage in situ by differential interference contrast microscopy and time-lapse cinematography

The functional unit within the growth plate consists of a column of chondrocytes that passes through a sequence of phases including proliferation, hypertrophy, and death. It is important to our understanding of the biology of the growth plate to determine if distal hypertrophic cells are viable, highly differentiated cells with the potential of actively controlling terminal events of endochondral ossification prior to their death at the chondro-osseous junction. This study for the first time reports on the visualization of living hypertrophic chondrocytes in situ, including the terminal hypertrophic chondrocyte. Chondrocytes in growth plate explants are visualized using rectified differential interference contrast microscopy. We record and measure, using time-lapse cinematography, the rate of movement of subcellular organelles at the limit of resolution of this light microscopy system. Control experiments to assess viability of hypertrophic chondrocytes include coincubating organ cultures with the intravital dye fluorescein diacetate to assess the integrity of the plasma membrane and cytoplasmic esterases. In this system, all hypertrophic chondrocytes, including the very terminal chondrocyte, exist as rounded, fully hydrated cells. By the criteria of intravital dye staining and organelle movement, distal hypertrophic chondrocytes are identical to chondrocytes in the proliferative and early hypertrophic cell zones.     

Effects of the calcium channel blocker nifedipine on epiphyseal growth plate and bone turnover: A study in rabbit

Summary The potential effects of a calcium channel blocker (nifedipine) on epiphyseal growth plate and bone remodeling have been investigated in growing rabbits. The treated group received 6 mg/kg/day nifedipine twice daily by gavage for 10 weeks. An untreated group was used as control; with this dose, neither toxic effects nor decrease in the body weight have been observed. No modifications of blood phosphocalcic parameters have been found. In the treated group there is a significant lower cancellous bone volume, lower osteogenesis, shorter labeled perimeters, and lower mineral apposition rate than in the control group. Epiphyseal growth plate thickness is lower than in the untreated animals and considerable morphological changes are observed in the growth zone compared with the control group. A decrease in the growth of humerus length was found. In conclusion, nifedipine affects bone physiology, especially with consequences on bone growth. These effects appear to be quantitatively important, and there is the possibility of bone side effects on therapeutic use in humans, especially in young subjects.     

Increased cAMP production after short-term capacitively coupled stimulation in bovine growth plate chondrocytes

Growth plate chondrocytes from newborn calf costochondral junctions grown in monolayer were subjected to a capacitive AC signal of 500 V peak to peak (P-P) at 60 kHz for 48 h and were analyzed for [3H]thymidine uptake. The stimulated chondrocytes showed a 130% greater uptake over unstimulated controls. Other newborn calf growth plate chondrocytes were stimulated at 500 V P-P at 60 kHz for 2.5, 5.0, 10.0, and 20.0 min and were analyzed for cAMP. Chondrocytes stimulated for 2.5 and 5.0 min showed a 142.8% (p less than 0.05) and 394.5% (p less than 0.01) increase over controls, respectively. The chondrocytes stimulated for 10.0 and 20.0 min showed no significant difference from the controls. It is concluded that short-term exposure of growth plate chondrocytes to an appropriate capacitively coupled field stimulates cAMP production, but longer-term application of the electrical field is ineffective.     

Effect of aging on tensile mechanical properties of the rabbit distal femoral growth plate

Tensile tests to failure were performed on the distal femoral growth plate of rabbits. The measured tensile forces, together with animal weight and dimensional measurements of the femur, were used to develop a noninvasive method of predicting growth failure loads and to examine the effects of age on the tensile strength of the growth plate. Growth plate failure load correlated with rabbit weight, (r = 0.93), femoral length, (r = 0.91), and contoured growth plate surface area, (r = 0.74). Regression analysis for these relationships allowed for failure load prediction if animal weight, femoral length, or growth plate surface area was known. Nominal stress (failure load/surface area) was calculated and correlated with animal weight (age) for each distal femoral growth plate utilizing two surface area estimating techniques: growth plate surface contour and growth plate cross-sectional enlargement. A strong association was found with either technique. The growth and maturation of growth plate cartilage is of major importance in pediatric orthopaedics. This study demonstrate that the age-dependent increases in tensile mechanical properties of the growth plate do not result merely from growth plate enlrgement or conformational changes. The changing tensile mechanical properties of the growth plate may explain why transphyseal distraction used clinically has produced varied and somewhat unpredictable results. Our study suggests that dose-response investigations are needed to define safe and optimal transphyseal distraction tensions before further clinical application is pursued.     

Primary culture of rat growth plate chondrocytes: an in vitro model of growth plate histotype, matrix vesicle biogenesis and mineralization

During endochondral ossification (EO), cartilage is replaced by bone. Chondrocytes of growth plate undergo proliferation, maturation, hypertrophy, matrix vesicle (MV) biogenesis and programmed cell death (PCD, apoptosis). The in vitro system presented here provides a potential experimental model for studying in vitro differentiation and MV biogenesis in chondrocyte cultures. Chondrocytes were obtained from collagenase-digested tibial and femoral growth plate cartilage of 7-week-old rachitic rats. The isolated chondrocytes were plated as monolayers at a density of 0.5 × 10⁶ cells per 35-mm plate and grown for 17 days in BGJ_b medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum, 50 μg/ml ascorbic acid. Light microscopy revealed Sirius red-positive, apparent bone matrix in layers at the surfaces of cartilaginous nodules that developed in the cultures. The central matrix was largely alcian blue staining thus resembling cartilage matrix. Electron microscopy revealed superficial areas of bone like matrix with large banded collagen fibrils, consistent with type I collagen. Most of the central matrix was cartilaginous, with small fibrils, randomly arranged consistent with type II collagen. The presence of peripheral type I and central type II and type X collagen was confirmed by immunohistochemical staining. Immunohistochemistry with anti-Bone morphogenetic proteins 2, 4 and 6 showed that BMP expression is associated with maturing hypertrophic central chondrocytes, many of which were TUNEL positive and undergoing cell death with plasma membrane breaks, hydropic swelling and cell fragmentation. During early mineralization, small radial clusters of hydroxyapatite-like mineral were associated with matrix vesicles. Collagenase digestion-released MVs from the cultures showed a high specific activity for alkaline phosphatase and demonstrated a pattern of AMP-stimulated nonradioactive ⁴⁰Calcium deposition comparable to that observed with native MVs. These studies confirm that primary cultures of rat growth plate chondrocytes are a reasonable in vitro model of growth plate histotype, MV biogenesis and programmed cell death.     

125I粒子组织间种植对人胃癌裸鼠移植瘤的杀伤作用

目的 观察不同剂量^125I粒子对人胃癌裸鼠移植瘤的杀伤作用及组织损伤。方法 建立人胃癌BGC-823细胞裸鼠皮下移植瘤模型，随机分为对照组和实验组，将不同剂量（100、120、140Gy）地^125I粒子植于实验组。30、60d：比较移植瘤抑瘤率，病理组织学、局部皮肤反应、裸鼠体重及白细胞计数。结果30d，100、120、140Gy组抑瘤率分别为51．93％、79．18％、90．22％，病理组织学反应程度多为RCRG2（45．83％），各实验组组间除120Gy与140Gy（P〉O．05）组外，及分别与对照组比较，差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）；局部皮肤反应各实验组与对照组比较，差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05），各实验组组间差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）。60d，各组抑瘤率分别为97．97％、100％、96．69％，病理组织学反应程度以RCRG1居多（62．5％），与对照组比较，差异均有统计学意义（P〈0．05），各实验组组间差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）；局部皮肤反应随剂量增高而加重，各实验组组间及其分别与对照组比较，差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。结论 不同剂量的^125I粒子在不同时间对人胃癌裸鼠皮下移植瘤有显著杀伤作用，但120Gy和140Gy组随剂量累积，损伤明显增加。提示100Gy可能是治疗人胃癌裸鼠皮下移植瘤的有效剂量。     

生长板损伤修复的研究进展

生长板是软骨内成骨的发育中心,在形态和功能上可分为静息带、增殖带、前肥大带与肥大带。生长板损伤常导致儿童肢体长度差异和成角畸形等骨骼生长缺陷。目前的矫形手术损伤较大且效果有限,尚缺乏有效的生物疗法。动物模型的生长板损伤后修复的细胞与分子事件可分为4个阶段:炎症期、成纤维期、成骨期与重塑期。现有研究表明,参与上述过程调控的相关分子,如炎症细胞因子肿瘤坏死因子α、促有丝分裂的血小板衍生生长因子以及调节成骨的血管内皮生长因子、骨形态蛋白均参与生长板损伤修复的调节。对生长板损伤修复机制的探究可能为生物疗法的研发提供新的靶标。此外,软骨组织工程的发展,尤其是间充质细胞的应用也为生长板损伤修复提供潜在的干预措施。