Stammzellen in der Knorpelforschung

Cartilage is a tissue of low cellularity which, in contrast to bone, is unable to heal spontaneously. Currently available therapeutic options cannot promise full restoration of a hyaline articular cartilage tissue. A promising approach to treat focal cartilage defects is transplantation of autologous chondrocytes expanded in culture. Since the patient has to accept damage of healthy cartilage tissue from the knee joint for harvesting of chondrocytes, adult mesenchymal stem cells are discussed as an alternate cell source for successful healing of injured cartilage. Mesenchymal stem cells, which reside in bone marrow, adipose tissue, muscle or skin of adults, have a high regeneration potential for tissue repair. In contrast to embryonic stem cells they are derived from the patient to be treated. In order to obtain the desired cell types they may be programmed to differentiate in culture. Based on the actual concept of stem cell differentiation this work summarizes the promising characteristics of mesenchymal stem cells and contrasts their high potential for cartilage repair with possible shortcomings inherent to such cells. Functional suitability and phenotypic stability are imperative for the clinical application of stem cells in regenerative therapy of cartilage lesions.