In-vitro culture of human chondrocytes from adult subjects.

An agarose gel matrix was utilized to grow chondrocytes from human donors of various ages in cell culture. The chondrocytes produced the pericellular matrix characteristic for such cells and synthesized collagen type II as well as glyco-saminoglycans. The latter exhibit the typical distribution pattern of the respective articular cartilage matrix. The electron-microscopic appearance of the cultured chondrocytes closely resembles that of chondrocytes in sections of the original cartilage.