Chondrocytes derived from pluripotent stem cells: applications in cartilage repair

Abstract Cartilage is a tissue of critical importance in development, postnatal growth and in articulation. It is a highly specialized tissue comprising distinct populations of chondrocytes and an abundant extracellular matrix rich in collagens and proteoglycans. Mature cartilage is also avascular and aneural with very limited repair capacity following injury caused by trauma or degenerative diseases. There is a compelling need for new therapeutic paradigms and for effective models to understand the pathological mechanisms of diseases that impact cartilage. Cell therapy represents one such approach and the use of cell-based models has the potential to contribute greatly in terms of therapy, mechanism, and discovery. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) now provide that opportunity. Because of the ground breaking discoveries in recent years in the generation of iPSCs by reprogramming of somatic cells, it is possible to (a) generate unlimited cells for therapeutic delivery, (b) develop patient- and disease-specific models, and (c) establish platforms for high content and high-throughput screening of new drugs for the treatment of degenerative diseases of the joints. This chapter provides a detailed assessment of progress in generating chondrocytes from iPSCs, looks at the potential of cell-based models of musculoskeletal diseases using patient-derived iPSCs, and summarizes current attempts of applying iPSCs in cartilage regeneration.