Clinical Applications in Cartilage Pathology

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Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) are believed to have multipotent plasticity with the capability to differentiate along multiple cell lineages such as cartilage. This was the foundation on which BMAC has been popularised in the management of cartilage defects. There have been numerous animal models that have shown clear benefit of BMAC to augment healing and improve cartilage repair when compared with traditional cartilage healing techniques; such as micro-fracture. This has been translated into beneficial studies in humans; as diseases of the articular cartilage have such a huge socio-economic burden affecting patient health related quality of life. These pioneering studies have led to a huge increase in the popularity of BMAC as a biological augment. Its key cellular components and growth promoting factors aid tissue regeneration and repair with the potential to produce true hyaline articular. This has clear advantage over the frequently encountered and inferior fibrocartilage from traditional methods of repair, such as microfracture and mosaicoplasty.