Articular cartilage degeneration such as osteoarthritis is one of the most common causes of chronic pain, stiffness, and loss of joint movement in middle-aged and older population. The repair of the damaged cartilage using autologous chondrocytes is often compromised by their limited capacity for proliferation and the rapid loss of phenotype during ex vivo expansion. Alternatively, stem cells may be a promising cell source because of their high proliferation rate and ability to differentiate into chondrocytes. An effective differentiation platform is needed, however, to ensure the promise of stem cells for cartilage regeneration.
