**6. Conclusions and future research on cartilage tissue engineering**

Cartilage tissue engineering is to use a biomaterial scaffold, bioactive molecules, and cells to produce new cartilage under special conditions. The rapid progress in material science, life science, and engineering has resulted in advancements in the treatment options for various illnesses and diseases, especially for cartilage defects. However, the field of cartilage tissue engineering is still in developing stage. The number of potential variables in cartilage tissue engineering strategy is vast, and the key challenges remain to be addressed. As cartilage tissue engineering incorporates the fields of cell biology, nuclear transfer, and material science, personnel who have mastered the techniques of cell harvest, culture, expansion, transplantation, and polymer design is essential for the successful application of these technologies to build new cartilage and extend human life. The future research on cartilage tissue engineering should thus be aimed at investigating and evaluating tissue engineering approaches, as well as surgical techniques for cartilage repair in disease-compromised animal models to gain a better understanding of clinically feasible design. It is necessary to develop a model system for the study of normal and pathological cartilage tissues.
