The effect of brain fraction with fibroblast growth factor activity on regeneraton and differentiation of articular cartilage.

From bovine brains a fraction with fibroblast growth factor activity was prepared according to the method given by Gospodarowicz et al. (1978) and tested regarding to its biological effectiveness on articular cartilage regeneration in rabbits the cartilage in one knee-joint of those had been injured in a defined manner. The intraarticular administration of the brain fraction supported the healing process of the intrachondral lesions by conspicuously increasing the chondrocyte proliferation starting from preexisting cartilage tissue. In the case of subchondral lesions the neodifferentiation of chondrocytes out of the simple connective tissue that primarily filled the defect was promoted significantly.