Editorial Commentary: Cell-Based Therapies for Articular Cartilage Repair Require Precise Progenitor Cell Characterization and Determination of Mechanism of Action.

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

• Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
• Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
• Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
• Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
• Emerging · Emerging topic under active research

Abstract (original English)

Biologics and cell-based therapies, in particular, have come to the forefront of orthopaedic sports medicine as agents with therapeutic and regenerative potential. Autologous chondrocyte implantation has been used successfully for many years, but a recent focus on autologous progenitor cells derived from bone marrow aspirate, adipose tissue, and/or synovium has garnered significant interest. Mobilized peripheral blood mononuclear cells [PBMCs or connective tissue progenitors (CTPs)] represent a promising cell population for potential use in articular cartilage repair. The term "stem cell" has become widely popularized, but more specific language identifying the cell type by donor type, tissue of origin, cell surface marker profile, culture conditions, and other cell behavior/characteristics should be used. In 2019, Murray et al. proposed a five-item "DOSES" tool in an effort to encourage standardized reporting for cell-based therapies emphasizing donor, origin of tissue, separation from other cell types/preparation method, exhibited cell characteristics associated with behavior, and site of delivery. The advantages of the DOSES tool include both simplicity and ability to be applied to cell types not yet discovered. However, a universally accepted list of criteria for biologics does not yet exist. Additional research is necessary to better elucidate the precise mechanisms by whi

Evidence level

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

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