Osteoarticular Regenerative Nanomedicine: Advances and Drawbacks in Articular Cartilage Regeneration Implants

Important advances have been made in the last decade in the development of biologically active scaffolds for osteochondral repair, as can be seen from the exponentially growing number of research studies. Articular cartilage lesions are quite common and constitute a significant financial issue. Multi-tissue regeneration, through the combination of biomimetic scaffold design, and localized active therapeutics delivery system and living cells, represents a promising strategy for the development of complex tissue such as the osteochondral unit. In this regard there is suitable expectation that such strategies could apply in the future to the repair of large defects or even resurfacing of a whole joint. Obviously, some new challenges will have to be faced, in particular in cell population needed and the controlled release of the active therapeutics.