Confocal analysis of the molecular heterogeneity in the pericellular microenvironment produced by adult canine chondrocytes cultured in agarose gel |
| |
Authors: | Jiang Chang and C A Poole |
| |
Institution: | (1) Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand |
| |
Abstract: | Adult articular chondrocytes are each surrounded by a heterogeneous microenvironment and together form the chondron. Since
little is known of chondron development, agarose gel culture, confocal immunohistochemistry and image analysis have been used
to characterize the molecular anatomy and temporal development of the chondrocyte pericellular microenvironment in vitro.
Two structurally distinct domains were identified during the 12-week culture period. The first comprised a narrow glycocalyx,
1–3 ·m in width, which consolidated over time and was rich in collagen types II, VI, IX and XI, fibronectin, decorin and the
aggrecan epitopes, 5D4 and HABR. The second region emerged after 4–6 weeks in culture and progressively developed a broad
territorial region up to 12 ·m wide around the chondrocyte and pericellular glycocalyx. Co-localization studies confirmed
the dominance of aggrecan epitopes 2B6, EFG-4, 5D4 and HABR in the territorial domain, whereas surface density mapping with
NIH image revealed two patterns of staining, one punctate and stippled, the other more uniform in distribution. The pericellular
differentiation identified appeared analogous to the chondrons of adult articular cartilage, and provides an appropriate in
vitro model for further studies of cell surface receptor function in the orchestration of pericellular matrix assembly
This revised version was published online in November 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date. |
| |
Keywords: | |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|