| abstract |
A defect is provided in cartilage or bone, or both, to excize damaged or pathological tissue, and it is filled with an implant having capability for complete regeneration of the skeletal tissue as a chondrogenic or osteogenic phenotype. The implant comprises cells expressing a chondrocyte phenotype (80×10 6 cells/ml) embedded in a biocompatible matrix having about 20% serum, which provides a permissive environment for maturation and transformation of the implant to a fully integrated state with the surrounding tissue. A portion of the implant may comprise a bone segment or a bone substitute. |