A comparative study of 3 different cartilage repair techniques

Abstract

The implantation of a cell-free collagen type-I gel can lead to a high-quality repair tissue in the Goettinger minipig that equals a cell-based procedure after 1 year postoperatively. This study demonstrates the high chondrogenic potential of the applied collagen gel, which might help to overcome the disadvantages inherent in conventional cartilage tissue engineering methods.