Chondrocyte Transplantation -- One Answer to an Old Question

Hyaline articular cartilage constitutes the principal working component of the synovial joints, and in adults it contains neither blood vessels nor nerves1. Cartilage provides diarthrodial joints with a remarkably resilient and long-lasting gliding surface, with a coefficient of friction approximately one fifth that of ice on ice. It is capable of self-renewal and self-lubrication and works well under a load. In short, it is an almost perfect machine, with mechanical properties that are far better than those of the polished metal on high-density polyethylene that is used in total joint-replacement systems.The cells of cartilage, chondrocytes, are active biochemically, . . .