Redifferentiation of dedifferentiated chondrocytes on chitosan membranes and involvement of PKCα and p38 MAP kinase

To investigate the effects of chitosan on the redifferentiation of dedifferentiated chondrocytes, we used chondrocytes obtained from a micromass culture system. Micromass cultures of chick wing bud mesenchymal cells yielded differentiated chondrocytes, but these dedifferentiated during serial monolayer subculture. When the dedifferentiated chondrocytes were cultured on chitosan membranes they regained the phenotype of differentiated chondrocytes. Expression of protein kinase Cα (PKCα) increased during chondrogenesis, decreased during dedifferentiation, and increased again during redifferentiation. Treatment of the cultures with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) inhibited redifferentiation and down-regulated PKCα. In addition, the expression of p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase increased during redifferentiation, and its inhibition suppressed redifferentiation. These findings establish a culture system for producing chondrocytes, point to a new role of chitosan in the redifferentiation of dedifferentiated chondrocytes, and show that PKCα and p38 MAP kinase activities are required for chondrocyte redifferentiation in this model system.