ALTEX :: Alternatives to Animal Experiments

2006, VOLUME 1

Introducing the concept of the 3Rs into tissue engineering research

Claudia Eder1, Erwin Falkner1,2, Stefan Nehrer3, Udo M. Losert2 and Harald Schöffl4

1BioMed - Society for the Promotion of Biomedical and Medical Technological Research in Upper Austria, Linz, Austria; 2Core Unit for Biomedical Research, Medical University Vienna, Austria; 3Dept. of Orthopaedic Surgery, Medical University Vienna, Austria; 4zet - Centre for Alternative and Complementary Methods to Animal Testing, Linz, Austria

SUMMARY

Tissue engineering, defined as using a combination of cultured cells and biodegradable scaffolds to repair tissue damaged by injury or disease, represents a booming sector of biomedical research. Animal experimentation is routinely performed prior to clinical trials. The presented study tries to translate the aspect of the 3Rs to tissue engineering research: Cell culture protocols were adapted to antibiotic free and serum free conditions. Biomaterials (Bio-Gide® and a collagen sponge prototype) were pre-tested using the HET-CAM assay. CAM-testing suggested a protocol change for application of the Bio-Gide® scaffold and demonstrated unsuitable material properties of the collagen sponge. Application of 3R compliant protocols for tissue engineering research led to increased cell proliferation, higher synthesis of extracellular matrix molecules, reduced dedifferentiation and more information about the biomaterials at an early experimental stage. Tissue engineering research can therefore profit from the increased efforts to validate in vitro alternatives and supplements to animal testing.

Keywords: tissue engineering, the 3Rs, serum free cell culture, antibiotic free cell culture, HET-CAM