biostudies-literatureChen Ythe National Key R&D Program of Chinathe China Postdoctoral Science Foundationthe National Key R&D Program of Chinathe Natural Sciences Foundation of China8127-8155https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC8593173biostudies-literatureUnknown78(24)Articular cartilage damage caused by sports injury or osteoarthritis (OA) has gained increased attention as a worldwide health burden. Pharmaceutical treatments are considered cost-effective means of promoting cartilage regeneration, but are limited by their inability to generate sufficient functional chondrocytes and modify disease progression. Small molecular chemical compounds are an abundant source of new pharmaceutical therapeutics for cartilage regeneration, as they have advantages in design, fabrication, and application, and, when used in combination, act as powerful tools for manipulating cellular fate. In this review, we present current achievements in the development of small molecular drugs for cartilage regeneration, particularly in the fields of chondrocyte generation and reveCellular and molecular life sciences : CMLSPharmaceutical therapeutics for articular regeneration and restoration: state-of-the-art technology for screening small molecular drugs.PMC85931732017YFA01049002020M6818928163006582002319Ouyang HChen YTian TSun HYao XZhou YXu WYu YfalsePharmaceutical therapeutics for articular regeneration and restoration: state-of-the-art technology for screening small molecular drugs.Articular cartilage damage caused by sports injury or osteoarthritis (OA) has gained increased attention as a worldwide health burden. Pharmaceutical treatments are considered cost-effective means of promoting cartilage regeneration, but are limited by their inability to generate sufficient functional chondrocytes and modify disease progression. Small molecular chemical compounds are an abundant source of new pharmaceutical therapeutics for cartilage regeneration, as they have advantages in design, fabrication, and application, and, when used in combination, act as powerful tools for manipulating cellular fate. In this review, we present current achievements in the development of small molecular drugs for cartilage regeneration, particularly in the fields of chondrocyte generation and reve2021-01-01T00:00:00Z2021 Dec2025-05-29T19:22:18.125Z2022-02-11T12:58:49.192ZS-EPMC85931733478387010.1007/s00018-021-03983-8