Characteristics of human chondrocyte cultures in completely defined medium

Summary Chondrocytes derived from normal human adult articular cartilage were established and maintained for over 5 months in a completely defined medium without the addition of serum or any other growth factors. At the end of 5 months, these cells were still metabolically active. The cells incorporated ³H]thymidine into DNA, incorporated ³⁵S]sulfate into proteoglycans, and exhibited lysosomal enzyme activities. The³⁵S-labeled proteoglycans isolated from the culture medium had elution profiles on high pressure liquid chromatography (HPCL) similar to those observed from proteoglycans from other mammalian sources. This self-contained growth competence may reflect a need produced by the unusual avascular and alymphatic character of articular cartilage. This research was supported, in part, by Grant AM22057 from the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD.