Analysis on the optimum site for harvest site in tissue engineering of the human ear shaped cartilate

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In this experiment, we cultured chondrocytes that were harvested chondrocytes from 4 different sites (nasoseptal, articular, costal and auricular cartilage), which were subsequently seeded onto biodegradable poly(LA-CL,50:50) polymer. Chondrocyte-copolymer composites were implanted in vivo, and then analyzed for long term observation that includes gross morphology, histology, and mechanical property. Results on gross morphology revealed that all tissue engineered cartilages retained human ear shape for up to 40 weeks in vivo. Such tissue engineered cartilages as nasoseptal, articular, and auricular origin demonstrated similar mechanical property with the native bovine auricular cartilage. On the contrary, tissue engineered cartilage of costal origin developed mineralization and showed remarkably rigid mechanical property, which is indicative of probable stem cells in cartilage structure. These results lead us to conclude that tissue engineered cartilages of nasoseptal, articular, and auricular origin were appropriate sites as cell sources as they retained three dimensional shape of the human ear with the restoration of original mechanical property, while that of costal origin further needed to regulate the mineralization process.