Recent Advances in Materials for Articular Cartilage Replacement
A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Biomaterials".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 November 2026
Special Issue Editor
Interests: tribology; material development (mainly by additive manufacturing) and characterization; ceramic dental materials; hydrogels (cartilage substitutes) and green materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Cartilage damage affects millions of people worldwide, causing pain and reducing mobility. Because articular cartilage is an avascular tissue, its capacity for self-repair is extremely limited, and in advanced stages of degeneration, total joint replacement is the definitive clinical solution. Nonetheless, recent research has focused on developing materials capable of replacing only the damaged cartilage regions, offering less invasive alternatives.
For successful cartilage replacement, new materials must closely replicate the structure and mechanical properties of native cartilage. They should exhibit high resistance to repeated compression, low friction, and strong wear resistance, while maintaining adequate water content to support the transport of nutrients and metabolites to and from the surrounding living tissue. Additionally, these materials must promote stable integration with the adjacent cartilage and the subchondral bone, ensuring long-term mechanical and biological performance.
This Special Issue aims to highlight recent advances in materials for articular cartilage replacement. We welcome high-quality original research and review articles addressing innovations in material design, synthesis, characterization, mechanical and tribological behavior, biological integration, and the challenges associated with clinical translation.
Dr. Celio G. Figueiredo-Pina
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- cartilage
- scaffold
- additive manufacturing
- hydrogels
- tissue engineering
- functional materials
- biomaterials
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