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Cells from Cow Knee Joints Used to Grow New Cartilage Tissue

Reported by: Irina Robu, PhD

Researchers at Umea University in Sweden used cartillage cell from cow knee joints in an effort to help lead to a new treatment cure for osteoarthritis using stem cell-based tissue engineering. Osteoarthritis can mean the loss of the entire cartilage tissue in the joint. While the condition causes pain and immobility for the individual, it also loads society with extra medical costs.

In their experiments, the researchers at Umeå University developed new methods to produce cartilage-like “neotissues” in a laboratory enviroment. In the engineering process, the cells, the signaling molecules and the scaffold, i.e. artificial support material, are combined to regenerate tissue at the damaged site in the joint.

Using primary bovine chondrocytes, i.e. cartilage cells from cows, the researchers improved methods to grow cartilage tissue in a laboratory environment, producing tissue similar to tissue normally present in the human joints. In the future, these results may help the development of neocartilage production for actual cartilage repair.