Articular　cartilage　has　poor　capability　of　regeneration　due　to　the　avascular　surrounding　and　low　metabolic　activity.　Kartogenin　(KGN),　an　emerging　nonprotein　heterocyclic　compound,　was　screened　to　stimulate　chondrogenic　differentiation　of　bone　mesenchymal　stem　cells　(BMSCs).　Coculturing　BMSCs　and　chondrocytes　was　reported　to　overcome　the　shortcomings　of　forming　fibroblastic　and　hypertrophic　cartilages.　In　this　study,　KGN　was　incorporated　into　the　Col-Tgel　hydrogel　to　form　a　Gel/Cell/KGN　complex,　which　fabricated　an　appropriate　microenvironment　for　effective　cartilage　regeneration　of　BMSCs　and/or　chondrocytes.　The　complexes　that　incorporated　KGN,　BMSCs,　and　chondrocytes　achieved　higher　lubricin　expression　and　extracellular　matrix　production,　such　as　characteristic　glycosaminoglycans　(GAGs)　and　collagen　type　II　(COL　II),　compared　to　the　monocultures　of　BMSCs　or　chondrocytes　in　vitro.　The　complexes　compounding　KGN,　BMSCs,　and　chondrocytes　(at　an　optimal　ratio　in　the　in　vitro　experiment)　were　transplanted　into　rat　models　to　evaluate　the　repair　effects.　Our　results　suggested　that　the　interaction　between　BMSCs　and　chondrocytes　can　substitute　the　use　of　growth　factors　to　some　degree　and　indicated　the　role　of　KGN　in　chondrogenesis　induction.　Besides,　it　is　the　first　time　(to　our　knowledge)　that　the　expression　of　lubricin　was　found　to　be　delayed　in　the　coculture　of　mixed　cells　comparing　with　GAGs　and　COL　II,　which　could　be　significant　in　cartilage　tissue　engineering.　©　Copyright　2018,　Mary　Ann　Liebert,　Inc.