Investigational approaches to articular cartilage preservation

A brief review of articular cartilage preservation identifies several directions and concerns for modern investigators. First, storage of intact cartilage in such solutions as alcohol, merthiolate, plasma, and saline may not be as good as storage in air. Second, viable cartilage appears to fare better than nonviable cartilage after transplantation. Third, freezing of isolated cartilage cells appears to be a satisfactory method for preserving viability, but the same may not be true for cartilage tissue slices, slivers, or explants. Fourth, tissue culture of slices seems to provide excellent preservation of cells in their matrix. Fifth, freezing of intact cartilage presents problems of water diffusion, as well as penetration of cryopreservative. Extremely slow freezing may provide an answer to these problems. Sixth, transplantation of isolated chondrocytes into cartilage defects does not seem to provide regeneration of articular cartilage, but transplantation of slices or larger pieces may restore a more normal appearance to the joint surface. Further investigation is obviously necessary and should continue to provide information and knowledge toward the goal of successful preservation of functional articular cartilage.