The Role of Mechanical Regulation in Cartilage Tissue Engineering

Abstract

Due to the lack of vascular distribution and the slow metabolism, cartilage tissue cannot repair itself, which remains a huge challenge in cartilage regeneration. Tissue engineering using stem cells appears to be a promising method for cartilage repair. Tissue engineers demonstrated that mechanical stimulation can enhance the quality of engineered cartilage, making it more similar to natural cartilage in structure and function. In this review, we summarize recent studies on the role of mechanical stimuli in chondrogenesis, focusing on the applications of extrinsic mechanical loading and the studies on mechanical properties of biomaterials in cartilage tissue engineering. This review will provide fresh insights into the potential use of mechanical stimuli for clinical use.

Keywords: Mechanical stimuli; biomaterials.; cartilage regeneration; chondrogenesis; mesenchymal cells; tissue engineering.