Cartilage Grown from Human Embryonic Stem Cells

Biomedical engineers at Rice University have developed a technique that successfully produces neo-cartilage from human embryonic stem cells. The cartilage grown had mechanical and chemical properties similar to those of fibrocartilage, particularly the outer portion of the knee meniscus and the temporomandibular joint disk.

Stem cells were chondrogenically differentiated, and some of the methods used produced cells with size and shape similar to those of control chondrocytes. After 28 days of differentiation, the differentiated cells were treated in various ways then seeded into wells with 2% agarose. This allowed for self assembly of tissue, and formation of extracellular matrix was observed.

The journal article where the results were published may be found at: http://stemcells.alphamedpress.org/cgi/content/full/25/9/2183