Effect of honeycomb-patterned structure on chondrocyte behavior in vitro

Chondrocytes were cultured on a honeycomb-patterned poly(lactic acid) (PLA) film in order to evaluate the effects of the honeycomb structure on chondrocytes with regard to cell proliferation, the production of sulphated glycosaminoglycans (sGAG), and morphological behavior. Cell proliferation was evaluated using the alamar blue assay, and sGAG production was spectrophotometrically quantified. Cell morphology was observed by means of optical microscopy (OM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In comparison to the honeycomb-patterned film, the flat film showed significantly higher levels of chondrocyte growth; however, chondrocytes were flattened in a manner similar to that of fibroblasts and produced small amounts of extracellular matrix (ECM). On the contrary, chondrocytes cultured on the honeycomb-patterned film were observed to remain spherical shaped and produce ECM abundantly. The results indicate that the honeycomb-patterned structure reduced the points of attachment for the chondrocytes and that they have the potential to provide chondrocytes with a suitable environment for developing a spherical shape. The honeycomb-patterned structure of the PLA film may play an important role in determining chondrocyte behavior and as a scaffold that can be used in tissue engineering.