Human-Derived Cells in Chondral or Osteochondral Repair

Chondral or osteochondral (OC) lesions of the knee are common. They are present in over 60% of knees undergoing arthroscopy. These lesions can be painful, often limiting function in young, active individuals in their productive years. At present, the surgical treatment of articular cartilage defects remains a challenging area with poor long-term results. In order to prevent the need for joint replacement to treat the osteoarthritis (OA) that can develop, there has been great interest in developing biological methods for joint repair. This approach results in tissue that can respond to loading and can remodel as required. This chapter reviews current and future approaches for cartilage repair and summarizes the rationale and clinical studies underlying the use of human cells and tissue engineering for the treatment of chondral and osteochondral lesions.