[Tissue engineering and osteoarthritis]

Articular cartilage lesions predispose to the development of early osteoarthritis. Most current surgical techniques give rise to the formation of fibrocartilage with biochemical and biomechanical properties inferior to those or articular cartilage. Tissue engineering could offer a modern alternative to the treatment of these lesions and in this way, prevent the development of early osteoarthritis in young active patients. Different tissue engineering approaches rely on the current use of autologous chondrocytes, or the potential use of mesenchymal stem cells. Other variables rely on the type of scaffold to use such as synthetic biodegradable polymers, fibrin or collagen-derived scaffolds of different sources, bovine, porcine, rat tail, etc, in the form of gels, sponges, mesh, etc, and all of these with or without growth factors. The use of autologous chondrocytes is a reality at the present time, whether injected under a periosteum patch or seeded on collagen. However, most investigators and biotech companies are in search of onestep surgical procedures, for which reason stem cells have to be kept in mind, as well as systems that will allow arthroscopic implantation.