Matrix-associated autologous chondrocyte transplantation (MACT) is a tissue-engineered approach for the treatment of cartilage defects and combines autologous chondrocytes seeded on biomaterials. The objective of the study is the analysis of growth and differentiation behaviour of human articular chondrocytes grown on three different matrices used for MACT. Human articular chondrocytes were kept in monolayer culture for 42 days and then seeded on matrices consisting of either collagen type I/III, hyaluronan, or gelatine. During the culture time of 4 weeks the constructs were analyzed weekly. Morphological criteria were studied by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The expression of the main type collagens was analyzed by real-time PCR. The collagen type I/III matrix supported a differentiation that closely resembled the tissue organisation of native cartilage, but cell number and type II collagen synthesis were low and differentiation occurred rather late in the cultivation period. The hyaluronan matrix and the gelatine-based matrix supported a rather rapid differentiation, with a high number of cells and a relatively high amount of type II collagen, but there was no spatial assembly that mimicked native cartilage. These facts indicate that the nature of the matrix is of great influence in the differentiation behaviour of dedifferentiated chondrocytes.

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