Autologous chondrocytes in vitro expanded, are used as tools of regenerative therapies for cartilage injuries. However, inability to maintain the hyaline phenotype both in vitro and post in vivo transplantation, remains one of the major hurdles for long term efficacy under clinical settings. We have reported earlier, hyaline phenotype maintenance of both human and rabbit chondrocytes for a long duration both in vitro when cultured conditions using a Thermo-reversible Gelation Polymer (TGP) scaffold-based methodology and in vivo post-transplantation animal model of cartilage damage. Having intrigued by such encouraging outcome, we in this study, analysed the similar TGP culture environment whether would be able to allow in vitro expansion of severe osteoarthritis affected cartilage tissue from elderly patients and evaluated the cells using lectin microarray characterization for pluripotency. Cartilage tissue were obtained from patients (n = 7; age: 60–85 years) undergoing total knee arthroplasty for severe osteoarthritis. Chondrocytes were isolated and cultured in two groups: i. conventional culture without scaffold (2D) and ii. using a TGP scaffold-based culture (3D) up to 18 weeks. In addition to earlier reported findings such as maintenance of hyaline phenotype having been confirmed in this study as well, surface glycoprotein analysis by lectin microarray demonstrated that the α1-2 Fuc recognition lectin (UEA-1) (marker reported in literature for pluripotent stem cells) was found to be more highly expressed in 3D culture compared to 2D culture and even increased over time in 3D culture. We have developed an environment where osteoarthritis affected chondrocytes from the elderly could be cultured up to 18 weeks in vitro using TGP scaffold which express pluripotent cell associated surface glycoproteins compared to the conventional methodology.

体外扩增的自体软骨细胞被用作软骨损伤的再生疗法的工具。但是，在体外和体内移植后均无法维持透明表型仍然是临床环境下长期疗效的主要障碍之一。我们已经报道较早，人和兔软骨细胞表型的透明维护一个持续时间长二者在体外培养时条件下使用的热可逆胶凝聚合物（TGP）支架为基础的方法和在体内移植后软骨损伤的动物模型。对如此令人鼓舞的结果很感兴趣，我们在本研究中分析了类似的TGP培养环境是否能够在体外培养。重度骨关节炎的扩张影响了老年患者的软骨组织，并使用凝集素微阵列表征评估了细胞的多能性。软骨组织来自患有严重骨关节炎的全膝关节置换患者（n = 7；年龄：60-85岁）。分离软骨细胞并分为两组进行培养：i。不带支架的常规培养（2D）和ii。使用基于TGP支架的培养（3D）长达18周。除了早先报道的发现，例如在透明质酸表型的维持方面，这项研究也得到了证实，用凝集素微阵列进行表面糖蛋白分析表明，与2D培养相比，α1-2Fuc识别凝集素（UEA-1）（多能干细胞的文献报道）在3D培养中表达更高，甚至在2D培养中随时间增加。 3D文化。我们已经开发出一种环境，在这种环境下，可以培养受老年人骨关节炎影响的软骨细胞长达18周与常规方法相比，使用表达多能细胞相关表面糖蛋白的TGP支架在体外进行。