Progress in tissue engineering to repair joint damage in osteoarthritis

June 8, 2011 in Medical research
Progress in tissue engineering to repair joint damage in osteoarthritis

Enlarge

Medical scientists now have "clear" evidence that the damaged cartilage tissue in osteoarthritis and other painful joint disorders can be encouraged to regrow and regenerate, and are developing tissue engineering technology that could help millions of patients with those disorders. That's the conclusion of a new analysis of almost 100 scientific studies on the topic, published in ACS's journal Molecular Pharmaceutics.

Tong Cao, Wei Seong Toh and colleagues point out that damage to so-called articular cartilage — the smooth, white, rubbery tissue that covers and cushions the ends of bones in joints — is one of the most challenging problems in medicine. That's because the tissue lacks blood vessels and has little ability to repair itself and regrow. Wear-and-tear damage thus builds up over the years, resulting in conditions like osteoarthritis, which affects 27 million people in the United States alone. Osteoarthritis is a fast-growing public health problem because of the world's aging population and because of a sharp increase in obesity, which increases wear on joint cartilage. To assess progress toward medical use of tissue engineering to treat joint damage, the researchers scanned global research on the topic.

They found that scientists have developed many new methods, including implantation of so-called "scaffolds" made of biomaterials that mimic cartilage matrix in the body. The scaffolds could guide the transplanted cells, orchestrate the host cell response, provide structures and microenvironment substances to help rebuild cartilage at the injury site. "In summary, there is promise in future research involving the development of multi-functional biomaterial delivery systems that affect regeneration on multiple levels," the article states.

More information: “Biomaterial-mediated delivery of microenvironmental cues for repair and regeneration of articular cartilage” DOI: 10.1021/mp100437a

Abstract
Articular cartilage injuries are one of the most challenging problems in musculoskeletal medicine due to the poor intrinsic regenerative capacity of this tissue. The lack of efficient treatment modalities motivates research into tissue engineering: combining cells, biomaterials mimicking extracellular matrix (scaffolds) and microenvironmental signaling cues. The aim of this review is to focus on the use of biomaterials as delivery systems for microenvironmental cues in relation to their applications for treatment of cartilage defects. The latest advances in cartilage tissue engineering and regeneration are critically reviewed to demonstrate an outline of challenges toward biomaterial-based approaches of cartilage regeneration.

Provided by American Chemical Society search and more info website

not rated yet  

Rank not rated yet
Related Stories
Relevant PhysicsForums posts
  • A question about drug tolerance
    createdMay 23, 2012
  • Poor nutrition leading to overeating?
    createdMay 23, 2012
  • Math and dyslexia?
    createdMay 21, 2012
  • portable metabolism meter?
    createdMay 21, 2012
  • Rare medical conditions on 20/20 tonight
    createdMay 18, 2012
  • "Good" Cholesterol in Doubt
    createdMay 17, 2012
  • More from Physics Forums - Medical Sciences

More news stories

Researchers identify key brain cell in antidepressant action

(Medical Xpress) -- Antidepressant medications such as Prozac have helped improve mood and lessen anxiety in millions of people with major depression. But scientists know surprisingly little about how these drugs work.

Medical research created 23 minutes ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Rockefeller scientists pioneer new method to determine mechanisms of drug action

(Medical Xpress) -- Knowing that a drug works is great. Knowing how it works is a luxury. And until now, determining a drug’s mechanism of action has been a tedious and difficult process for scientists.

Medical research created 43 minutes ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Like curry? New biological role identified for compound used in ancient medicine

Scientists have just identified a new reason why some curry dishes, made with spices humans have used for thousands of years, might be good for you.

Medical research created 7 hours ago | popularity 4 / 5 (3) | comments 1 | with audio podcast

The cells' petrol pump is finally identified

The oxygen and food we consume are converted into energy by tiny organelles present in each cell, the mitochondria. These 'power plants' must be continuously supplied with fuel, to maintain all vital functions. A team led ...

Medical research created 18 hours ago | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Researchers identify protein necessary for behavioral flexibility

Researchers have identified a protein necessary to maintain behavioral flexibility, which allows us to modify our behaviors to adjust to circumstances that are similar, but not identical, to previous experiences. Their findings, ...

Medical research created 20 hours ago | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 1 | with audio podcast


Of mice and mental models: Neuroscientific implications of risk-optimized behavior in the mouse

(Medical Xpress) -- Regardless of an organism’s biological complexity, every encephalized animal continuously makes under-informed behavioral choices that can have serious consequences. Despite its ubiquity, ...

Routine care for Crohn's disease in children should include measurement of bone age

(Medical Xpress) -- Measuring bone age should be a standard practice of care for pediatric patients with Crohn’s disease, in order to properly interpret growth status and improve treatment, according to a new study from ...

Questionable research practices surprisingly common

(Medical Xpress) -- Not all scientific misconduct is flat-out fraud. Much falls into the murkier realm of “questionable research practices.” A new study finds that in one field, psychology, these practices are surprisingly ...

New prostate cancer screening guidelines face a tough sell, study suggests

(Medical Xpress) -- Recent recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) advising elimination of routine prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening for prostate cancer in healthy men are likely to encounter ...

Australia defiant on WTO cigarette challenge

Australia said Friday it would "vigorously defend" itself against complaints about its plan for plain cigarette packaging made by Honduras and Ukraine to the World Trade Organisation.

Chile to cover sex change operations

Chile will soon cover sex change surgeries under its public health plan in order to allow citizens of limited means to "recover their true sexual identity," Health Minister Jaime Manalich said.