Cartilage Injuries: Role of Implantation of Human Stem/Progenitor Cells

As articular cartilage has very limited self-repair capability, the repair and regeneration of damaged cartilage is a major challenge. This chapter aims to present the potential seed cell sources that can be utilized for cartilage regeneration, such as autologous chondrocytes (hACs), mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). One of the promising candidate is cartilage stem/progenitor cell (CSPCs). Current scientific research has demonstrated the existence, definition and niche of CSPCs. The clinical applications of CSPCs show much promise for cartilage regeneration.