Bioengineering of articular cartilage: past, present and future

Authors

Ken Ye, The University Of Melbourne
Raed Felimban, The University Of Melbourne
Simon E. Moulton, University of WollongongFollow
Gordon G. Wallace, University of WollongongFollow
Claudia Bella, St Vincent's Hospital Sydney
Kathy Traianedes
Peter F. Choong, St Vincent's Hospital SydneyFollow
Damian E. Myers, The University Of Melbourne

RIS ID

78968

Publication Details

Ye, K., Felimban, R., Moulton, S. E., Wallace, G. G., Bella, C., Traianedes, K., Choong, P. F. & Myers, D. E. (2013). Bioengineering of articular cartilage: past, present and future. Regenerative Medicine, 8 (3), 333-349.

Abstract

The treatment of cartilage defects poses a clinical challenge owing to the lack of intrinsic regenerative capacity of cartilage. The use of tissue engineering techniques to bioengineer articular cartilage is promising and may hold the key to the successful regeneration of cartilage tissue. Natural and synthetic biomaterials have been used to recreate the microarchitecture of articular cartilage through multilayered biomimetic scaffolds. Acellular scaffolds preserve the microarchitecture of articular cartilage through a process of decellularization of biological tissue. Although promising, this technique often results in poor biomechanical strength of the graft. However, biomechanical strength could be improved if biomaterials could be incorporated back into the decellularized tissue to overcome this limitation.