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The meniscus, fibrocartilaginous tissue found within the knee joint, is responsible for shock absorption, load transmission, and stability within the knee joint. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, over 600,000 surgeries each year are the result of complications with the meniscus. If this tissue is damaged, either through tears or degenerative processes, then deterioration of the articular cartilage can occur. The meniscus has the intrinsic ability to heal itself; unfortunately this property is limited only to the vascular portions of the tissue. For damage outside of these areas and overall degeneration of the tissue, methods need to be developed that will assist the meniscus in healing itself; tissue engineering is a potential solution. One of the research thrusts of this lab is to successfully tissue engineer the meniscus, through the use of scaffolds, growth factors, fibrochondrocytes, and a series of mechanical environments.
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