Abstract: Objective To explore the chondrogenesis potential of hypertrophic scar fibroblasts （HSFBs） induced by cartilage-derived morphogenetic protein 1 （CDMP1） in vivo. Methods Hypertrophic scar fibroblasts （HSFBs） were isolated from discarded hypertrophic scar. HSFBs combining with PGA/PLA scaffold as HSFBs- PGA/PLA complex were induced by CDMP1 （100 ng/mL） for 2 weeks. Then the complex were transplanted into nude mice as induced group （n=10）. The complex that not induced were treated as negative control, named as un-induced group （ n=4）, while the chondrocytes-PGA/PLA complex were treated as positive control, named as chondrocyte group （n=4）. After 4 and 8 weeks, the complex in each group was harvested for wet weight test, proteoglycan （GAG） content test, HE staining, Safranine-O staining and immunochemistry staining. Results After 4 and 8 weeks in vivo, the wet weight and GAG content in induced group were both higher than in un-induced group （P〈0.05）. In induced group, after cultured for 4 weeks in vivo, chondrocyte-like lacuna structure was observed by HE staining, uniform distribution of GAG was observed by Safranine-O staining, and positive expression of collagen type Ⅱ was revealed by immunohistochemical staining. After 8 weeks of culturing in vivo, chondrocyte-like structure in induced group was more mature and more in line with the structure distribution of cartilage. Conclusion HSFBs combining with PGA/PLA had the potential to develop into polygonal chondrocyte-like tissue by the induction of CDMP 1.

Key words: Hypertrophic scar fibroblasts, Chondrocytes, Cartilage-derived morphogenetic protein 1, Transdifferention