[Biomaterial for autologous chondrocyte transplantation]

Autologous chondrocyte transplantation (ACT) is a cell-based biological cartilage repair procedure for the regeneration of injured articular cartilage. The further modification of classical ACT to matrix-associated autologous chondrocyte transplantation (MACT) includes the use of biomaterials as cell carriers and has biological and surgical advantages. The use of biomaterials as cell carriers for chondrocytes requires the analysis of cell culture conditions, cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions and also the determination of chondrocytic differentiation. The biomaterials used preserve the specific cellular architecture of chondrocytes and the combination of cultivated cells with biomaterials leads to the formation of cartilage-specific extracellular matrix components.