Cartilage News and Research

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Cartilage is a stiff yet flexible connective tissue found in many areas in the bodies of humans and other animals, including the joints between bones, the rib cage, the ear, the nose, the elbow, the knee, the ankle, the bronchial tubes and the intervertebral discs.

Gene therapy techniques show promise in promoting growth of skin, bone and other tissues

Experimental genetic techniques may one day provide plastic and reconstructive surgeons with an invaluable tool-the ability to promote growth of the patient's own tissues for reconstructive surgery.

30 May 2013

Arthritis Research UK awards Cardiff researchers a grant to develop new drugs to treat osteoarthritis

Medical research charity Arthritis Research UK has awarded a team of researchers at Cardiff University a grant of £200,000 to investigate new drugs to treat early onset osteoarthritis. The team will investigate a new therapy to reduce the risk of developing osteoarthritis.

23 May 2013

Kidneys discarded for transplant can be used for manufacturing replacement organs, say researchers

Nearly 20 percent of kidneys that are recovered from deceased donors in the U.S. are refused for transplant due to factors ranging from scarring in small blood vessels of the kidney's filtering units to the organ going too long without blood or oxygen. But, what if instead of being discarded, these organs could be "recycled" to help solve the critical shortage of donor organs?

21 May 2013

Joint replacement surgery might be avoidable in the future, suggest scientists

Scientists at Johns Hopkins have turned their view of osteoarthritis inside out. Literally. Instead of seeing the painful degenerative disease as a problem primarily of the cartilage that cushions joints, they now have evidence that the bone underneath the cartilage is also a key player and exacerbates the damage.

20 May 2013

Study reveals that prolonged Dkk1 signaling can lead to fibrosis, stiffening of artery walls

The hardening of arteries is a hallmark of atherosclerosis, an often deadly disease in which plaques, excessive connective tissue, and other changes build up inside vessel walls and squeeze off the flow of oxygen-rich blood throughout the body.

17 May 2013

Hydrogel scaffolds can help evaluate how engineering nanoparticles interact with cells

A class of water-loving, jelly-like materials with uses ranges ranging from the mundane, such as superabsorbent diaper liners, to the sophisticated, such as soft contact lenses, could be tapped for a new line of serious work: testing the biological effects of nanoparticles now being eyed for a large variety of uses.

16 May 2013

Sanofi, Regeneron enroll patients in two sarilumab Phase 3 trials for treatment of RA

Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that the COMPARE and ASCERTAIN trials of sarilumab, the first fully human monoclonal antibody directed against the IL-6 receptor, which is delivered by subcutaneous injection every other week, have enrolled their first patients.

15 May 2013

Researchers identify link between GPR126 gene and adolescent idiopathic scoliosis

Researchers from the RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences in Japan have identified the first gene to be associated with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (also called AIS) across Asian and Caucasian populations.

13 May 2013

Fat cells in knee secrete a protein linked to arthritis

Scientists have discovered that fat cells in the knee secrete a protein linked to arthritis, a finding that paves the way for new gene therapies that could offer relief and mobility to millions worldwide.

10 May 2013

Solder for laser welding of tissue produces stronger seals during intestinal surgery

A new "solder" for laser welding of tissue during surgical operations has the potential to produce stronger seals and expand use of this alternative to conventional sutures and stapling in intestinal surgery, scientists are reporting. Their study, which involves use of a gold-based solder, or sealing material, appears in the journal ACS Nano.

9 May 2013

EPSRC-funded study explores feasibility of using natural fibres for cartilage repair

Over 20 million people in Europe suffer from osteoarthritis which can lead to extensive damage to the knee and hip cartilage. Stem cells offer a promising way forward but a key challenge has been to design a 'smart material' that is biologically effective for cartilage tissue regeneration. Now researchers have identified a blend of naturally occurring fibres such as cellulose and silk that makes progress towards affordable and effective cell-based therapy for cartilage repair a step closer

8 May 2013

New joint lubricant brings longer lasting relief to osteoarthritis sufferers

A team of researchers led by a Boston University Biomedical Engineer has developed a new joint lubricant that could bring longer lasting relief to millions of osteoarthritis sufferers.

3 May 2013

EntreMed announces issuance of patent for clinical-stage compound, 2-methoxyestradiol

EntreMed, Inc., a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company developing therapeutics for the treatment of a variety of cancers, announced the issuance of a U.S. patent covering methods of treatment and formulations for its clinical-stage compound, 2-methoxyestradiol.

3 May 2013

Researchers create novel way to enhance MRI

Researchers at New York University and NYU Langone Medical Center have created a novel way to enhance MRI by reducing interference from large macromolecules that can often obscure images generated by current chemical exchange saturation transfer methods.

30 Apr 2013

Upcoming symposium to offer highlights of 150-year history of Hospital for Special Surgery

An upcoming symposium will offer highlights of the 150-year history of Hospital for Special Surgery and at the same time provide a fascinating look at the evolution of medicine from the "Dark Ages" of the Civil War period to modern medicine as we know it today.

29 Apr 2013

Ampio completes patient enrollment in dose-escalation run-in study of Ampion for treatment of knee osteoarthritis

Ampio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the completion of patient enrollment in a dose-escalation run-in study to a Phase III pivotal trial evaluating Ampion in the treatment of moderate to severe osteoarthritis of the knee.

26 Apr 2013

Biological imaging technologies create a new way to learn about cells

Researchers have married two biological imaging technologies, creating a new way to learn how good cells go bad. "Let's say you have a large population of cells," said Corey Neu, an assistant professor in Purdue University's Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering.

26 Apr 2013

Tissue engineering combined with gene therapy can manage repair of defective articular cartilage

Researchers at Micro Orthopaedics, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, led by Dr. Ai-xi Yu, have suggested that articular cartilage defects can be repaired by a novel thermo-sensitive injectable hydrogel engineered with gene modified bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells.

24 Apr 2013

Rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis: an interview with Dr. Stan Naides, Medical Director, Quest Diagnostics

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder that can cause debilitating joint damage. In cases of RA, the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues, especially the membranes that line the joints. As a result, fluid builds up in the joints, causing pain and systemic inflammation, leading to joint destruction if untreated.

From Quest Diagnostics 23 Apr 2013

$Young athletes undergoing intense training have higher risk of stress fractures, other overuse injuries$

Young athletes undergoing intense training have higher risk of stress fractures, other overuse injuries

Young athletes who specialize in one sport and train intensively have a significantly higher risk of stress fractures and other severe overuse injuries, even when compared with other injured athletes, according to the largest clinical study of its kind.

22 Apr 2013