Engineered biochemical cues of regenerative biomaterials to enhance endogenous stem/progenitor cells (ESPCs)-mediated articular cartilage repair

Liangbin Zhou, Jietao Xu, Andrea Schwab, Wenxue Tong, Jiankun Xu, Lizhen Zheng, Ye Li, Zhuo Li, Shunxiang Xu, Ziyi Chen, Li Zou, Xin Zhao, Gerjo J.V.M. van Osch (Corresponding Author), Chunyi Wen (Corresponding Author), Ling Qin (Corresponding Author)

Research output: Journal article publicationReview articleAcademic researchpeer-review

18 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

As a highly specialized shock-absorbing connective tissue, articular cartilage (AC) has very limited self-repair capacity after traumatic injuries, posing a heavy socioeconomic burden. Common clinical therapies for small- to medium-size focal AC defects are well-developed endogenous repair and cell-based strategies, including microfracture, mosaicplasty, autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI), and matrix-induced ACI (MACI). However, these treatments frequently result in mechanically inferior fibrocartilage, low cost-effectiveness, donor site morbidity, and short-term durability. It prompts an urgent need for innovative approaches to pattern a pro-regenerative microenvironment and yield hyaline-like cartilage with similar biomechanical and biochemical properties as healthy native AC. Acellular regenerative biomaterials can create a favorable local environment for AC repair without causing relevant regulatory and scientific concerns from cell-based treatments. A deeper understanding of the mechanism of endogenous cartilage healing is furthering the (bio)design and application of these scaffolds. Currently, the utilization of regenerative biomaterials to magnify the repairing effect of joint-resident endogenous stem/progenitor cells (ESPCs) presents an evolving improvement for cartilage repair. This review starts by briefly summarizing the current understanding of endogenous AC repair and the vital roles of ESPCs and chemoattractants for cartilage regeneration. Then several intrinsic hurdles for regenerative biomaterials-based AC repair are discussed. The recent advances in novel (bio)design and application regarding regenerative biomaterials with favorable biochemical cues to provide an instructive extracellular microenvironment and to guide the ESPCs (e.g. adhesion, migration, proliferation, differentiation, matrix production, and remodeling) for cartilage repair are summarized. Finally, this review outlines the future directions of engineering the next-generation regenerative biomaterials toward ultimate clinical translation.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)490-512
Number of pages23
JournalBioactive Materials
Volume26
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Aug 2023

Keywords

  • Articular cartilage (AC) repair
  • Biochemical cues
  • Endogenous stem/progenitor cells (ESPCs)
  • Regenerative biomaterials

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biotechnology
  • Biomaterials
  • Biomedical Engineering

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