title: Osteochondral tissue engineering approaches for articular cartilage and subchondral bone regeneration.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Osteochondral defects (i.e., defects which affect both the articular cartilage and underlying subchondral bone) are often associated with mechanical instability of the joint and therefore with the risk of inducing osteoarthritic degenerative changes. This review addresses the current surgical treatments and most promising tissue engineering approaches for articular cartilage and subchondral bone regeneration.
  
  
  METHODS
  The capability to repair osteochondral or bone defects remains a challenging goal for surgeons and researchers. So far, most clinical approaches have been shown to have limited capacity to treat severe lesions. Current surgical repair strategies vary according to the nature and size of the lesion and the preference of the operating surgeon. Tissue engineering has emerged as a promising alternative strategy that essentially develops viable substitutes capable of repairing or regenerating the functions of damaged tissue.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An overview of novel and most promising osteochondroconductive scaffolds, osteochondroinductive signals, osteochondrogenic precursor cells, and scaffold fixation approaches are presented addressing advantages, drawbacks, and future prospectives for osteochondral regenerative medicine.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tissue engineering has emerged as an excellent approach for the repair and regeneration of damaged tissue, with the potential to circumvent all the limitations of autologous and allogeneic tissue repair.
  
  
  METHODS
  Systematic review, Level III.
authors: Laboratory of Nano-Biotechnology, Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute, Via di Barbiano 1/10, 40136 Bologna, Italy. s.panseri@biomec.ior.it
authors: Silvia
authors: S
authors: Panseri
authors: Alessandro
authors: A
authors: Russo
authors: Carla
authors: C
authors: Cunha
authors: Alice
authors: A
authors: Bondi
authors: Alessandro
authors: A
authors: Di Martino
authors: Silvia
authors: S
authors: Patella
authors: Elizaveta
authors: E
authors: Kon
mesh_terms: D001861:Bone Regeneration; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000293:injuries / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000293:injuries / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000637:transplantation; D048091:Guided Tissue Regeneration / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007596:Joints / Q000293:injuries / Q000502:physiology / Q000601:surgery; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation; D013536:Suture Techniques; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds
chemical_list: D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins