Tiny interwoven fibers make up the three-dimensional fabric “scaffold” into which a strong, pliable hydrogel is integrated and injected with stem cells, forming a framework for growing cartilage. (Credit: Frank Moutos and Farshid Guilak)
A closer look at the scaffolding integrated with Xuanhe Zhao’s hydrogel. The composite material, formed through a process comparable to pouring concrete over a steel framework, may be a serviceable synthetic replacement for the load-bearing cartilage found between bones. (Credit: I-Chien Liao, Frank Moutos, Brad Estes)
