Research approach
For years, researchers have been searching for procedures that allow the replacement of defective joint cartilage. Arthrosis is a multifactorial disease that leads to joint dysfunction and pain due to cartilage degeneration. In addition to the further development of classical treatment methods, new methods such as cell therapy and tissue engineering have emerged as alternative treatment methods. Methods such as autologous chondrocyte transplantation use cells that have been taken from patients and are subsequently introduced into injured tissue with modifications or natively. Chondrocyte cultures in simulated weightlessness develop into three-dimensional, differentiated, tissue-like cell clusters, which are suitable for autologous implantation due to their hyaline properties. Beneficial, health-promoting effects of pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) have been observed in clinical and animal studies for decades. Interaction mechanisms of PEMFs with cartilage tissue show chrondroprotective effects on human joint cartilage. By combining SMG and application-optimized PEMFs, we aim to establish a 3D scaffold-free articular cartilage tissue culture in a human model that provides sufficient cartilage for ACT procedures.
