[No improvement of joint cartilage healing after trauma by the administration of insulin-like growth factor I, epidermal growth factor and fibroblast growth factor in rabbits].

Insulin-like growth factor I (Somatomedin C), epidermal growth factor, and fibroblast growth factor exert a stimulatory effect on articular chondrocyte metabolism in vitro. We studied the effect of these peptides on the repair of standardized full-thickness articular cartilage defects in the knee-joints of 32 young adult rabbits. In our in vivo study, the growth factors failed to stimulate cartilage cell replication, chondrocyte proteoglycan synthesis or defect filling. The trauma, however, had a significant stimulatory effect on the mitotic activity of the chondrocytes near the defect, but not on the synthesis of sulfated proteoglycans.