Cartilage Grown From Embryonic Stem Cells

Cartilage Grown From Embryonic Stem Cells

Researchers at Imperial College London have announced via press release that they have caused hESCc to successfully differentiate into cartilage tissue. The researchers grew them in culture along with cartilage cells; the mixed stem cells and cartilage were found to have higher levels of collagen, the protein constituent of cartilage, than stem cells cultured alone. The cells were then implanted in mice, and when the tissue scaffold (also see here) was removed 35 days later, the cells were found to have formed new cartilage. One of the researchers suggested that it may be as little as 5 years before treatment is possible.