The natural joint tissue is a complex composite structure with gradient composition, orientation, and physicochemical, mechanical, and biological properties. It is also an avascular and aneural tissue that lacks self-heal ability once damaged. Osteochondral joint injury is therefore one of the highly problematic chronic diseases in the world. Without appropriate and timely intervention at the early stage of injury, the chondral defects may extend deep into the subchondral bone and further develop into osteochondral defects, and ultimately require a joint replacement. Compared to traditional palliative and reparative treatments such as autografting and microfracture, the application of tissue engineering approaches has shown significant improvement since its emergence in the 1990s in regenerating neo-tissues that are comparable to native osteochondral tissues.
Despite extensive efforts by a large cadre of researchers, it is still challenging to design biomaterials that can fulfill the requirement of bone and cartilage repair simultaneously. It is recognized that the function of osteochondral tissue is largely conferred by its compartmentalized zonal structure and composition. The most recent developed zonal-mimicking tissue engineering scaffolds have shown some improvement but progress in the fields is still deeply needed. This collection provides an opportunity for researchers to share their recent work involving but not limited to advanced tissue engineering scaffolds, growth factors, and cells in regenerating osteochondral joint tissues.
Topic may include, but are not limited to:
• Novel biomaterials for cartilage and bone regeneration.
• Novel synthetic approaches of biomaterials for cartilage and bone regeneration
• Novel strategies such as cell-free or/and growth-factors-free systems, transgenic cells, novel growth factors for osteochondral regeneration.
• Novel in vitro methods or/and in vivo animal models on the evaluations of osteochondral regeneration.
• Discussions on osteochondral regeneration mechanisms.
• Reviews on recent advances of tissue engineering strategies for osteochondral regeneration.
• Pre-clinical or clinical improvements of osteochondral joint injury treatment.
The natural joint tissue is a complex composite structure with gradient composition, orientation, and physicochemical, mechanical, and biological properties. It is also an avascular and aneural tissue that lacks self-heal ability once damaged. Osteochondral joint injury is therefore one of the highly problematic chronic diseases in the world. Without appropriate and timely intervention at the early stage of injury, the chondral defects may extend deep into the subchondral bone and further develop into osteochondral defects, and ultimately require a joint replacement. Compared to traditional palliative and reparative treatments such as autografting and microfracture, the application of tissue engineering approaches has shown significant improvement since its emergence in the 1990s in regenerating neo-tissues that are comparable to native osteochondral tissues.
Despite extensive efforts by a large cadre of researchers, it is still challenging to design biomaterials that can fulfill the requirement of bone and cartilage repair simultaneously. It is recognized that the function of osteochondral tissue is largely conferred by its compartmentalized zonal structure and composition. The most recent developed zonal-mimicking tissue engineering scaffolds have shown some improvement but progress in the fields is still deeply needed. This collection provides an opportunity for researchers to share their recent work involving but not limited to advanced tissue engineering scaffolds, growth factors, and cells in regenerating osteochondral joint tissues.
Topic may include, but are not limited to:
• Novel biomaterials for cartilage and bone regeneration.
• Novel synthetic approaches of biomaterials for cartilage and bone regeneration
• Novel strategies such as cell-free or/and growth-factors-free systems, transgenic cells, novel growth factors for osteochondral regeneration.
• Novel in vitro methods or/and in vivo animal models on the evaluations of osteochondral regeneration.
• Discussions on osteochondral regeneration mechanisms.
• Reviews on recent advances of tissue engineering strategies for osteochondral regeneration.
• Pre-clinical or clinical improvements of osteochondral joint injury treatment.
