In this comprehensive review, we are providing a holistic overview of osteochondral tissue development, disease, pain localization, as well as structural evaluation and current repair strategies. This review is intended to serve as a broad introduction to this multidisciplinary research area. It is a thorough examination of the biological aspects of the osteochondral unit from a tissue engineering perspective, highlighting the importance of the subchondral bone in chondral and osteochondral lesion repair and pain relief.
Keywords: bone; cartilage; crosstalk; osteochondral unit; tissue engineering.