VEGGIE-CART: Decellularized vegetable scaffolds as platform for combined delivery of cells and drugs in cartilage regeneration strategies

Regenerative medicine and drug delivery have emerged as alternative to current treatments for joint injuries, which only provide limited pain relief and repair. Currently, tested materials in regenerative medicine are either synthetic or animal-derived.

While the first yield toxic effects and limited mechanical properties, animal-derived tissues are costly and have a severe impact on the environment and animal welfare. Hence, there is an unmet need for the development of more effective and sustainable materials.

Hereby, we propose for the first time the use of plant-based scaffolds as a platform for combined delivery of growth factors and cells for cartilage regeneration.