Data underlying the paper "Cartilage Organoids from Articular Chondroprogenitor Cells and Their Potential to Produce Neo-Hyaline Cartilage"

This is the raw data supporting the figures in the publication called "Cartilage Organoids from Articular Chondroprogenitor Cells and Their Potential to Produce Neo-Hyaline Cartilage". In this publication, the possibility of human articular chondroprogenitor cells (hACPCs) to produce cartilage organoids in a scalable manner for cartilage tissue engineering was investigated. This was compared to a previously published concept of creating cartilage organoids using human articular chondrocytes (hPACs) and a porcine matrix additive, called notochordal cell-derived matrix (NCM). To assess the quality of the hACPC and hPAC organoids, multiple analysis methods were used. First, macroscopic imaging combined with image analysis in Fiji was used to determine the size and number of organoids produced. Biochemical assays for sulfated glycosaminoglycans (sGAGs) and DNA content, together with histological staining for GAGs and immunohistochemistry for collagens type II, I, VI provided insight into the matrix composition and distribution in the organoids. In addition to matrix evaluation, the cells were characterized using immunohistochemistry for Ki67 and SOX9. After analyzing the hACPC and hPAC organoids, their fused constructs were again evaluated based on macroscopic images and the same biochemical assays, histological staining, and immunohistochemical analysis. In addition, the cell position after organoid fusion was visualized by using green and red fluorescent cell membrane labels before fusion and imaged with confocal microscopy after the fusion culture. Using these analysis methods, it was concluded that the hACPCs self-assembled into organoids and produced plenty extracellular matrix after stimulation with BMP-9. Moreover, the hACPC organoids and their fused constructs showed a more uniform matrix and cell distribution compared to the hPAC organoids. This highlights the potential of hACPC organoids for scalable cartilage tissue engineering.