Evaluation of DMSO Transport in Human Articular Cartilage: Vehicle Solutions and Effects on Cell Function

Osteochondral allografting techniques are limited by the availability of suitable donor tissue; there is an urgent need for effective cryopreservation. A fundamental requirement is the need to establish initial conditions of exposure to cryoprotectant that the chondrocytes will tolerate and that load the tissue with an adequate concentration of cryoprotectant. Three vehicle solutions to transport DMSO into the tissue were studied. Knee joints were obtained from deceased donors with appropriate consent. Whole condyles were treated with 20% w/w DMSO in each of three vehicle solutions and chondrocyte function and tissue CPA content measured. The results showed that exposure to 20% DMSO in each vehicle solution for 2 hours at 0°C was tolerated without loss of GAG synthetic activity. It was observed that penetration of DMSO increased little after 1 hour of CPA exposure at 0°C but the final tissue concentration of CPA was markedly lower than that in the medium.