Targeted cell delivery for articular cartilage regeneration and osteoarthritis treatment

Abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the main causes of pain and disability worldwide. In recent years, numerous efforts have been made in pharmaceutical and surgical therapies for OA management. The therapeutic features of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), have led to numerous preclinical and clinical trials that confirmed the efficacy of cell therapy as treatment for OA. Recent works have attempted to customize cell participation in tissue regeneration using site specific targeting approaches. Targeting approaches are based on direct modifications to the surface of MSCs or indirect modifications on an engineered nanomediator. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of the advances in targeted cell delivery and define the priorities for future work in terms of OA and cartilage regeneration.