Adult Stem Cells for Cartilage Tissue Engineering

Tissue engineering is a promising therapeutic approach that uses combinations of implanted cells, biomaterial scaffolds, and biologically active molecules to repair or regenerate damaged or diseased tissues. Many diverse and increasingly complex approaches are being developed to repair articular cartilage, with the premise that cells introduced exogenously play a necessary role in the success of engineered tissue replacements. Recent studies have identified the presence of an abundant source of stem cells in subcutaneous adipose tissue — termed adipose-derived adult stem (ADAS) cells. These show characteristics of multipotent adult stem cells similar to bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and under appropriate culture conditions synthesise cartilage-specific matrix proteins assembled in a cartilaginous extracellular matrix. Keywords: Articular cartilage, chondrocyte, pre-adipocyte, stromal cell, osteoarthritis, collagen, proteoglycan.