Figure 3
Biochemical assays and mechanical testing showed that enhanced cell proliferation, cartilage matrix production and mechanical property in the mixed co-culture, but not in conditioned medium or bi-layered co-culture.
Such synergy increased as ratio of ADSC increased in the mixed co-culture. (A) DNA, (B) glycosaminoglycan (GAG) and (C) collagen per wet weight (w.w.) after 21 days of culture. (D) Compressive tangent moduli of tissue-engineered constructs at day 21. Data was presented as mean +/− SD (n = 4 samples/group). To quantify the synergy between ADSCs and NChons during mixed co-culture, interaction index was calculated as the measured matrix content at various cell ratios normalized by the expected matrix content given no interaction between the two cell types. Interaction index for (E) DNA/w.w., (F) GAG/w.w. and (G) collagen/w.w. increased with an increase in ADSC ratio in the mixed cell co-culture. (*) indicates statistical significance against NChon control and (∧) indicates statistical significance against ADSC control, with *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001.
