[Advantages of biomatrices in chondrogenesis of pluripotent mesenchymal stem]

The autologous in vitro expansion of chondrocytes is a new method for the treatment of localized cartilage defect zones in humans. In the past several investigators have shown the occurrence of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) in human bone marrow, periosteum and somite mesoderm. Moreover it has been shown that these progenitor cells are able to differentiate into chondral tissue under special in vitro conditions. The following study shows current possibilities and borders of a chondrogenetic stem cell therapy. Furthermore advantages and disadvantages of different cellular biomatrix carriers are described, cartilage tissue engineering-related problems are discussed and possible solutions were pointed out.

A literature investigation served for evaluation of the present clinical and experimental data. Furthermore our own cell culture experiences were considered.

Until now there exists no clinical concept using the potential of MSC for cartilage tissue engineering. Reasons are the lack of biomechanical and histological stability and handling problems of the cultivated cartilage tissue, especially the difficulties to fix and secure the transplant in the cartilage defect zones in situ.

The systematic investigation of biomatrices by chondrogenic progenitor cell culture systems may lead to important data for the evaluation of the chondrogenic potency biomatrices.