Cell and Tissue Journal

Abstract Aim: Extracellular matrix (ECM), in addition to physical role can control the cellular behavior such as proliferation, differentiation and migration.  With respect to dimension, architecture, cell polarity and microenvironment similar to in vivo, it is important to study cellular behavior in the three dimensional culture compare to two dimensions. In this study, ECM derived from bovine articular cartilage and cancellous bone were used as a three dimensional environments to study the movement and polarity of cells from blastema tissues.
Material and Methods: In order to remove cells from the cancellous bone and articular cartilage, physicochemical methods including  snap freeze–thaw and  sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as an ionic detergent were used.  Then the prepared  decellulized matrix  were assembled with  the rings of the blastema  tissues originated from pinnas of male New Zealand white rabbits and cultured in different days in vitro.  
Results:  The removals of the cells have been confirmed by histotechniques. In addition adhesion, polarity and migration of the blastema cells around the trabeculae of bone and articular cartilage ECM took place.
Conclusion: This study showed that the co-culture of blastema tissue with dynamic cells and 3D scaffolds might be a suitable model to study cell behavior such as migration and polarity in vitro.