Glycogen storage in tissue-engineered cartilage.

Recent focus in cartilage tissue engineering has been to develop functional tissue that can survive after implantation. One such determinant is the ability of the engineered tissue to be able to sustain its metabolic activity post-implantation. In vivo, chondrocytes contain stores of intracellular glycogen to support metabolism and it is unknown whether these cells can store glycogen during tissue growth in vitro. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine the appropriate nutrient conditions to elicit glycogen storage in tissue-engineered cartilage. Isolated bovine articular chondrocytes were seeded in scaffold-free, 3D culture and grown under different nutrient conditions (glucose concentrations and media volumes) for 4 weeks. Intracellular glycogen storage, glucose utilization and extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation of the engineered tissues were then evaluated. Glucose concentration (5-10 mM) and media volume (1-4 ml) had no apparent effect on cartilaginous tissue formation. However, glucose consumption by the cells increased in proportion to the volume of medium provided. Lactate production was similarly affected but in direct proportion to the glucose consumed, indicating a change in glucose utilization. Similarly, under elevated medium volume, engineered tissues stained positive for intracellular glycogen, which was also confirmed biochemically (1 ml, 1 +/- 2; 2 ml, 13 +/- 4; 4 ml, 13 +/- 3 microg/construct). The storage of intracellular glycogen in engineered cartilage can be elicited by culturing the constructs in elevated volumes of medium (>or=1 ml medium/million cells), which might help to ensure appropriate metabolic function after implantation.