The present invention is directed to a cultured, stratified cartilage tissue that comprises a tissue-engineered, cohesive cartilage construct comprised of two or more cartilage layers, wherein each cartilage layer comprises chondrogenic cells having a chondrocytic phenotype corresponding to chondrocytes present in: a superficial-tangential zone of natural cartilage a middle-transitional zone of natural cartilage a deep-radial zone of natural cartilage or a calcified cartilage zone of natural cartilage.