Perichondrial Potential for Cartilagenous Regeneration

Abstract

This preliminay investigation was conducted in 2-month-old rabbits. The perichondirum was stripped away from the ear cartilage, and raised as a flap. A segment of the exposed cartilage was then removed and the perichondrial flap was sutured back over the created defect. The other ear served as a control, but there the resection of cartilage included the covering perichondrium. In the first group there was a progressive regeneration of cartilage originating from the perichondrium; in the control study, no new cartilage developed. The chondrogenic activity of the perichondrium of the aural cartilage is thus demonstrated and will be further verified in succeeding experiments.