This study deals with the influence of hydroxyapatite-ceramic on long-term cultures of rabbit articular chondrocytes. By additioni of granules of this material into the culture wells improval of cell proliferation by factor 12 over a period of twelve weeks is found. More important is the maintaining of the status of differentiation of the chondrocytes, documented by immunoidentification of the expressed collagen I production over collagen II as marker for chondrocytes. In controls without addition of hydroxyapatite-ceramic there is a dynamic increase of collagen I production over the culture period and morphological alteration of the cell shape leading to fibroblast-like cells. As this dedifferentiation is the main problem concerning chondrocytes long-term cultures, the addition of HAC into the culture medium is a simple and effective method enhancing the productivity of the culture system. Moreover this experimental design with chondrocytes as cells familiar with mineralized matrix gives an important proof of the excellent cytocompatibility of the hydroxyapatite-ceramic used in this study.
