More Cartilage From Stem Cells
Scientists have succeeded in producing cartilage from human embryonic stem cells. Regenerative medicine for cartilage is important, as this tissue is particularly difficult to heal or replace: "The research involved growing human embryonic stem cells with chondrocytes or cartilage cells, in Petri dishes in the laboratory in a specialised system that encouraged them to change into cartilage cells. When this was compared with just growing the human embryonic stem cells alone, the mixed stem cells and cartilage were found to have higher levels of collagen, the protein constituent of cartilage." Other groups have already succeeded in tissue engineering cartilage, but this new work would appear to be a helpful addition to our understanding of embryonic stem cells and ability to control their differentiation.