Cartilagederived

Cartilage-derived is an adjective used in biology and medicine to describe cells, tissues, or products that originate from cartilage. In research and regenerative medicine, the term is often applied to cartilage-derived stem or progenitor cells, a subset of mesenchymal stem/stromal cells obtained from articular cartilage or other cartilaginous tissues. These cells can be isolated from autologous cartilage (typically harvested during joint surgery) or, less commonly, from allogeneic sources.

Isolation and culture commonly involve enzymatic digestion of cartilage tissue with collagenase or explant culture, followed by expansion in conventional mesenchymal stem cell media. Cartilage-derived cells often display colony-forming ability and plastic adherence. They may express standard MSC markers and show robust chondrogenic potential in vitro, including production of cartilage matrix components such as type II collagen and aggrecan, under the influence of chondrogenic factors like TGF-β.

Applications include cartilage repair and regeneration, treatment of focal chondral defects, and integration into tissue-engineered constructs for osteoarthritis or joint injury. Compared with other MSC sources, cartilage-derived cells may offer advantages in cartilage-specific differentiation and matrix production, though hypertrophic differentiation and dedifferentiation during expansion can pose challenges. Their use requires careful donor selection, quality control, and regulatory oversight to ensure safety and consistent product characteristics.

See also: chondrocyte, mesenchymal stem cell, cartilage repair, tissue engineering.