The Effects Of Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 And Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor On Proliferation Of Rabbit Articular Chondrocytes Embedded In Collagen Gel I On Microfluidic Chips

Objective:The effects of the insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on the proliferation of chondrocytes in 3D were investigated. By validating the application of microfluidic chip, we introduced it for cartilage tissue engineering.Methods:Rabbit articular chondrocytes embedded in collagen gel were cultured on chip and 96-well plate for two weeks and their proliferation rate was investigated in the presence of IGF-1, bFGF and their combination.Results:The cell proliferation rate revealed to be highest in 57.14ng/ml of IGF-1 (up to 2.38-fold), highest in 5.72ng/ml of bFGF (up to 3.58-fold) and highest in the combination of 85.73ng/ml IGF-1 and 1.43ng/ml bFGF (up to 4.76-fold). Moreover, there was no statistically significant difference between microfluidic platform and 96-well plate with the proliferation rate.Conclusion:A certain combination of IGF-1 and bFGF could synergistically increases the proliferation of chondrocytes in 3D while maintaining their morphology. Microfluidic chips could be applied in cartilage tissue engineering efficiently.