Emerging technological trajectories of tissue engineering and the critical directions in cartilage regenerative medicine

The study here analyses the publications and patents to detect the main technological trajectories of tissue engineering and in particular to focus on the evolutionary patterns of cartilage tissue engineering. Results tend to show that tissue engineering has an unparalleled scientific growth mainly in the technological trajectories of cartilage, bone and vascular tissue engineering. In addition, the paper also shows that the patterns of cartilage tissue engineering are based on scientific and technological breakthroughs in autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACT) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which are spurring path-breaking treatments in cartilage regenerative medicine. Tissue and bio-regenerative engineering are generating a revolution in clinical practice owing to benefits in terms of effective treatments that improve the quality of life of patients. Copyright © 2014 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.