Current state of cartilage tissue engineering
Cartilage Biology and Orthopaedics Branch, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
Arthritis Res Ther 2003, 5:235-238 doi:10.1186/ar991
Published: 8 August 2003Abstract
Damage to cartilage is of great clinical consequence given the tissue's limited intrinsic potential for healing. Current treatments for cartilage repair are less than satisfactory, and rarely restore full function or return the tissue to its native normal state. The rapidly emerging field of tissue engineering holds great promise for the generation of functional cartilage tissue substitutes. The general approach involves a biocompatible, structurally and mechanically sound scaffold, with an appropriate cell source, which is loaded with bioactive molecules that promote cellular differentiation and/or maturation. This review highlights aspects of current progress in cartilage tissue engineering.
