21 – Nanocomposites for cartilage regeneration

: Hyaline cartilage, which is located on the articular surfaces of bones, has a defined microstructure and unique organization of cells and macromolecules. These distinctive properties of cartilage make natural regeneration difficult and current treatments often result in the formation of fibrous tissue. Thus, the use of nanomaterials has been proposed to facilitate cartilage regeneration, especially in large-sized osteochondral defects. Specifically, nanocomposites can be designed and fabricated to have specific biomimetic characteristics, as well as superior biological and mechanical properties. This chapter will closely examine the key criteria required for cartilage regeneration, and discuss material design, fabrication methods and nanomaterials for cartilage therapies.