A bovine brain fraction with fibroblast growth factor activity inducing articular cartilage regeneration in vivo

A bovine brain fraction with fibroblast growth factor (FGF) activity was prepared according to the method described by Gospodarowicz et al. and its influence on the healing process of experimentally produced intrachondral lesions in the knee-joint of rabbits was studied. Intraarticular administration of this preparation resulted in a substantial stimulation of the proliferation of "cluster cells", a special kind of chondrocytes which accumulate and form clusters.