PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To conveniently produce a chondrocyte cluster and a grafting material, and a composite material, being useful for the treatment of joints and tracheae.SOLUTION: A method for producing a chondrocyte cluster comprises an inoculation culture step in which, on a coated culture surface coated with a temperature-responsive polymer or a temperature-responsive polymer composition, in the presence of a cell cluster, a cell capable of differentiating into a chondrocyte is inoculated, and a cell capable of differentiating into a cell cluster and a chondrocyte is cultured, thus preparing a chondrocyte cluster. There is also provided a method for producing a grafting material that uses the method for producing the chondrocyte cluster.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1【課題】本発明は、関節や気管の治療に有用な軟骨細胞塊及び移植材料並びに複合材を簡便に製造することを目的とする。【解決手段】温度応答性ポリマー又は温度応答性ポリマー組成物で被覆された被覆培養面において、細胞塊の存在下、軟骨細胞に分化し得る細胞を播種し、細胞塊及び軟骨細胞に分化し得る細胞を培養することによって、軟骨細胞塊を調製する、播種培養工程を含むことを特徴とする、軟骨細胞塊の製造方法、該軟骨細胞塊の製造方法を用いる移植材料の製造方法。【選択図】図１
