{
  "abstract": "A persistent challenge in cartilage tissue engineering is identifying cell sources capable of regenerating cartilage with native-like properties. Variability in chondrogenic potential among human- and animal-derived cells complicates graft development and disease modeling. Here we benchmarked ten chondrogenic cell sources under standardized culture conditions using hyaluronan-alginate biomaterials and implementing a functionality index combining histological and mechanical metrics referenced to native tissue. Mesenchymal stem cells and fetal chondroprogenitors demonstrated superior regenerative capacity, achieving 103% and 95% of native cartilage functionality, respectively. In contrast, adult articular chondrocytes from healthy and osteoarthritic donors produced fibrocartilaginous tissue with functionality scores below 50%. These findings provide a quantitative framework to guide cell source selection and optimize cartilage graft standardization for clinical applications and physiologically relevant disease models, addressing regulatory demands for product characterization.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Tissue Engineering and Biofabrication, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zurich; Otto-Stern-Weg 7, Zurich, CH-8093, Switzerland; Manufacturing 4"
  ],
  "article_type": "New results",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 13,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "S. Ponta"
    },
    {
      "name": "V. Pecina"
    },
    {
      "name": "M. Airoldi"
    },
    {
      "name": "D. Simmen"
    },
    {
      "name": "E. Novoa Olivares"
    },
    {
      "name": "T. Linder"
    },
    {
      "name": "A. E. Laurent"
    },
    {
      "name": "L. A. Applegate"
    },
    {
      "name": "G. Salzmann"
    },
    {
      "name": "V. Bruhin"
    },
    {
      "name": "M. Stoddart"
    },
    {
      "name": "M. Zenobi-Wong"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "P. Fisch"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/2yyy79kag7e4g.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.64898/2026.10.05.756631",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.05.756631v1.full",
  "id": "2yyy79kag7e4g",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.05.756631v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "biorxiv",
      "bioengineering"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2745|Osteoarthritis Treatment and Mechanisms"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7220728719",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.05.756631v1.full.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-05",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/2yyy79kag7e4g.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:26:11Z",
      "native_id": "10.64898/2026.10.05.756631",
      "source": "biorxiv",
      "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.05.756631v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "biorxiv:bioengineering",
      "subfield": "systems-synthetic"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Benchmarking cartilage regeneration across ten chondrogenic cell sources using native tissue references",
  "title_text": "Benchmarking cartilage regeneration across ten chondrogenic cell sources using native tissue references",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:26:11Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/2yyy79kag7e4g",
  "venue": "bioRxiv",
  "versions": []
}