Isolation of Chondrocytes from Human Cartilage and Cultures in Monolayer and 3D.

Chondrocytes are the only cell type in cartilage. The dense cartilage extracellular matrix surrounding the chondrocytes makes isolating these cells a complex and lengthy task that subjects the cells to harsh conditions. Protocols to isolate expand and maintain these cells have been improved over the years, providing ways to obtain viable cells for tissue engineering and clinical applications. Here we describe a method to obtain populations of chondrocytes that are able to expand and maintain a native-like phenotype.