[Novel small compound in combination with cell-sheet technology for articular cartilage regeneration]

Aiming at regeneration of articular cartilage, we have established stable lines of mouse chondrogenic ATDC5 cells expressing green fluorescent protein under the control of type II collagen promoter fused with four repeats of a SOX9 enhancer (COL2A1-GFP) , as a monitoring system for chondrogenic differentiation. A screening of natural and synthetic compound libraries using the system identified some novel compounds. Combined with cell-sheet technology, a novel small compound was applied to the treatment of full-thickness knee cartilage defects in murine and canine models.