Articular cartilage chondrocytes have very slow turnover and their capacity for regeneration and repair are still questionable. The reasons for low repair potential are not clearly understood. Articular cartilage lacks blood or lymphatic vessels, therefore, the immune system cells do not reach the lesion and it does not heal. For the long period it was postulated, that chondrocytes in the adult articular cartilage are terminally differentiated.
Undefined