Fig. 1

Clinically relevant orthopaedic regenerative tissue engineering strategies. Cells, scaffolds, and signalling factors are the main components of regenerative tissue engineering. Ex vivo cultured cells can be transplanted with or without cultivation in a bioreactor or an in situ tissue regeneration strategy can be followed for endogenous cell homing with the recruited factors such as instructive scaffolds and/or signalling factors can be used. Strong evidence from in vitro and preclinical experiments are needed prior to initiating a clinical trial in humans. Strategies should be developed in a translational research environment with the involvement and communication all stakeholders since the beginning which include orthopaedic surgeons, academic scientists, funding bodies, and regulatory bodies