Osteoarthritis: Insights in Cartilage Tissue Integration

Yueh-Hsun Kevin Yang

Grove School of Engineering, The City University of New York – the City College, 160 Convent Avenue, Steinman Hall 581, New York

Yueh-Hsun Kevin Yang, Grove School of Engineering, The City University of New York – the City College, 160 Convent Avenue, Steinman Hall 581, New York.

Keywords: Osteoarthritis; Cartilage Integration; Matrix-Assisted Chondrocyte Transplantation; Biomaterial; Tissue Engineering

Abstract

Articular cartilage is a lubricant substrate that serves as a cushion between the bones of diarthrodial joints. Several factors such as aging, disease and abnormal loading conditions applied to the joints can lead to degeneration of articular cartilage. Among the over 100 different types of common degenerative conditions, osteoarthritis is the most commonly reported cause, where the cartilaginous layers gradually wear away to increase the friction coefficient of the articular surface, concomitant pain and loss of mobility [1]. Self-repair of articular cartilage is limited due to its avascular nature. Although some surgical treatments for cartilage defects are currently available, autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) is the only cell-based surgical therapy approved in the United States [2]. Alternatively, tissue engineering approaches which involve the use of a combination of cells, biomaterials and bioactive molecules to grow functional tissue substitutes may offer a long-term solution to cartilage degeneration [3].

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