Methods of promoting healing of a cartilage defect in a region of cartilage, which comprises the defect and which may further comprise stem cells, and methods of promoting healing of a cartilage defect in a region of cartilage, which comprises the defect and an implant comprising cartilage scaffold or a cartilage graft, which methods comprise contacting the region with various combinations of cartilage fragments, a growth factor, a partially synthesized extracellular matrix, a scaffold, an implant comprising cartilage scaffold, an implant comprising a cartilage graft, stem cells, chondrocytes, a proteoglycan, an anti-oxidant, a collagen precursor, a vitamin, a mineral, and/or a cartilage-degrading enzyme; and a method of causing stem cells to differentiate by the articular chondrocyte pathway comprising contacting the stem cells with a compound comprising an active alcohol moiety.