Abstract: The disclosure relates to a chondrogenic cell sheet comprising at least two layers of confluent chondrogenically differentiated cells, wherein the cell sheet is prepared from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and wherein the chondrogenically differentiated cells on the basal side of the cell sheet express adhesion molecules. The disclosure also relates to a method of preparing a chondrogenic cell sheet comprising: a) culturing MSCs on temperature responsive cultureware until confluent to form a cell sheet; b) detaching the cell sheet by temperature reduction and allowing the cell sheet to contract, forming a contracted cell sheet; c) contacting the contracted cell sheet with a culture surface; and d) treating the contracted cell sheet on the culture surface with chondrogenic medium and culturing to form a chondrogenic cell sheet. Methods of using the chondrogenic cell sheets to repair cartilage tissue or treat joint disease are also disclosed.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a chondrocyte cell sheet comprising one or more layers of confluent cells comprising chondrocytes and chondroprogenitor cells. Methods of generating cartilage tissue in a subject are also provided. The disclosure also provides a method for producing chondrocyte cell sheets comprising culturing chondrocytes and chondroprogenitor cells in culture solution on a temperature-responsive polymer which has been coated onto a substrate surface of a cell culture support, wherein the temperature-responsive polymer has a lower critical solution temperature in water of 0-80° C.; adjusting the temperature of the culture solution to below the lower critical solution temperature, whereby the substrate surface is made hydrophilic and adhesion of the cell sheet to the surface is weakened; and detaching the cell sheet from the culture support.