Chondrogenesis was studied under controlled in vitro conditions using a cell-polymer-bioreactor system. Bovine calf articular chondrocytes were seeded onto biodegradable polymer scaffolds and cultured in rotating bioreactor vessels. Concomitant increases in the amounts of glycosaminoglycan (GAG) and type II collagen resulted in cell-polymer constructs with continuous cartilaginous matrix over their entire cross sections (6.7 mm diameter x 5 mm thick) after 40 days of cultivation. As compared to natural calf cartilage, constructs had comparable cellularities, 68% as much GAG and 33% as much type II collagen per gram wet weight. The progression of chondrogenesis in chondrocyte-polymer constructs was similar to that suggested previously for precursor cells in vitro and developing limbs in vivo. In particular, the polymer scaffold provided a three-dimensional structure that could be seeded with chondrocytes at high cell densities in order to establish cell-to-cell contacts and initiate cartilage tissue development, whereas the bioreactor vessel provided a permissive microenvironment for chondrogenesis. This work demonstrates the promise of using tissue engineered constructs for in vitro studies of cell interactions and differentiation.