CHONDROCYTE TRANSPLANTATION INTO ARTICULAR CARTILAGE DEFECTS WITH USE OF CALCIUM ALGINATE

Abstract

Alginate promotes expression of cartilage-specific genes and allows delivery of chondrocytes into osteochondral defects. Transgenic chondrocytes labeled with enhanced green fluorescent protein are detectable in the defect, but they do not appear to form repair tissue and they decrease in number with time. In view of the clinical application of cell-based cartilage repair, understanding the fate of transplanted cells becomes increasingly relevant. Transgenic chondrocytes are an effective tool to study the role of transplanted chondrocytes in articular cartilage repair.