Maintenance of equine articular cartilage explants in serum-free and serum-supplemented media, compared with that in a commercial supplemented medium.

The researchers in this study sought to understand the impact of a commercially available, serum-free medium supplement on equine articular cartilage tissue samples, comparing it to serum-free and serum-supplemented media. It was found that both the serum-free medium and the supplemented medium resulted in significantly lower synthesis and retention of glycosaminoglycan (GAG) compared to the serum-supplemented medium.

Research Methods

• The researchers used articular cartilage samples from a 3-year-old, mixed breed horse that was euthanized for reasons unrelated to musculoskeletal diseases or sepsis.
• The media in which the cartilage samples were maintained were changed every 48 hours.
• The glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content was checked in the collected media at each interval.
• At the end of the study on the 8th day, GAG synthesis by the tissue samples and residual GAG content of the cartilage (a measure for tissue GAG loss) were determined.

Findings

• The study found that articular cartilage samples maintained in serum-free and commercial supplemented media had a significantly lower GAG synthesis and content compared to the samples in serum-supplemented medium.
• Neither the serum-free nor the commercial supplemented medium groups showed significant differences with respect to GAG synthesis and content.
• On comparing the GAG content in the media for all the treatment groups, the content in the serum-free medium on day 8 was significantly higher than in the commercially supplemented medium.
• However, there were no significant differences observed in the release percentage of GAG (an indicator of GAG degradation) across all three treatment groups.

Conclusions

• The effects of the commercial supplemented medium on articular cartilage matrix GAG loss into the medium were the same as those of the serum-supplemented medium. Both mediums resulted in a similar degree of loss of GAG from the tested articular cartilage samples.
• However, the residual GAG content of the articular cartilage was higher in serum-supplemented medium, as was the GAG synthesis.
• The study concluded that the commercial supplemented medium either lacks the necessary ingredients to maintain stable GAG synthesis, or has unsuitable concentrations of these ingredients