Biological resurfacing: an alternative to total joint arthroplasty.

Abstract

These preliminary observations suggest that the functional repair of adult hyaline cartilage is controlled by the entrance and lineage progression of uncommitted MSCs into chondrocytes under the direction of specific biological and mechanical cues which represent a recapitulation of embryonic events. This concept implies that to some extent the regeneration of destroyed articular cartilage is limited by an inadequate supply of MSCs from the host and their inefficient interaction with the appropriate factors at the local site. Finally, the use of autologous cell tissue engineering could provide the basis of an important application for the repair of deficient joint surfaces as a result of trauma or osteoarthritis.