METHODS TO MAINTAIN, IMPROVE AND RESTORE THE CARTILAGE PHENOTYPE OF CHONDROCYTES

摘要

The present invention relates to regulatory cells, which are capable of restoring, maintaining or improving the stable cartilage phenotype of expanded and passaged chondrocytes. These regulatory cells are also capable of directing precursor and stem cells into the chondrogenic lineage. An enriched population of regulatory cells can be obtained by harvesting the non-adherent cells in the culture medium of a monolayer culture of PO chondrocytes.