# TISSUE CULTURE MODELS OF CARTILAGE METABOLISM

> **NIH NIH R01** · RUSH UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · 1990 · $10,480

## Abstract

Proteoglycans of the extracellular matrix of cartilage provide this tissue
with the ability to withstand and dissipate repetitive loading forces by
reversible deformation. The genesis of an appropriate matrix requires the
coordination of a variety of complex intra- and extracellular synthetic
processes. One approach to examine these processes has been to use model
systems which mimic some aspects of the normal tissue. Thus, the use of
chondrosarcoma model has provided much information regarding the complex
post-translational modification of a core protein necessary for its
conversion into a proteoglycan. Such a model has its limitations since it
represents rodent cartilage and not human material. Thus, it is desirable t

be able to extend the number of available models to include ones for human
cartilages. One difficulty in achieving this with normal human cartilage li
s
in the difficulty in maintaining phenotypic stability because of both the
limited life span of normal cells and the propensity of chondrocytes to
dedifferentiate in culture. One method of circumventing this problem of
limited life span is to start with a neoplastic cell type, a chondrosarcoma
cell, which expresses some features of the chondrocyte phenotype. These
tumors however, have proven difficult to propagate in tissue culture
primarily due to contamination of the cells with normal fibroblasts coupled
with the relatively slow growth rate of the tumor cells. Technical
developments in culture methodology have provided a means of dealing with
many of these difficulties. We have successfully applied alternating cultur

of chondrosarcoma cells in agarose suspension followed by monolayer to obta
n
a few cell lines from human tumors. Preliminary results with a battery of
monoclonal antibodies against epitopes in fetal or adult cartilage have
indicated that the tumor cell lines synthesize proteoglycans which react wi
h
all, while clonal cell lines derived from the parent population make
proteoglycans which react with only a limited number. suggests This that th

population of proteoglycans in the parent tumor may arise in part as a
consequence of a heterogeneous cell population containing cells and their
progeny which synthesize different proteoglycans. The cell lines obtained
from this project will be examined to determine if this possibility can be
generalized to all chondrosarcomas. In addition, this study will provide a
methodological and perhaps conceptual framework to explore the possibility
that normal cartilage may be composed of a heterogeneous cell population
which-contributes to the proteoglycan heterogeneity present in the tissue.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3158691
- **Project number:** 5R01AR038650-02
- **Recipient organization:** RUSH UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER
- **SAM.gov UEI:** C155UU2TXCP3
- **Principal Investigator:** JAMES H KIMURA
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1990
- **Award amount:** $10,480
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1989-08-01 → 1990-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3158691

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3158691, TISSUE CULTURE MODELS OF CARTILAGE METABOLISM (5R01AR038650-02). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3158691. Licensed CC0.

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