Joint cartilage, a load bearing structure in mammals, has only limited ability for regeneration after damage. For tissue engineers to design functional constructs, better understanding of the properties of healthy tissue is required. Joint cartilage is a specialised structure of hyaline cartilage; a poroviscoelastic solid containing fibril matrix reinforcements. Healthy joint cartilage is layer...

Bone marrow stimulation may be applied to regenerate focal cartilage defects, but generally results in transient clinical improvement and formation of fibrocartilage rather than hyaline cartilage. Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine strive to develop new solutions to regenerate hyaline cartilage tissue. This systematic review and meta-analysis provides a comprehensive overview of curre...

Recent studies have shown that thinning of human cartilage occurs with unloading, but no data are available on the effect of remobilization (after immobilization) on knee joint cartilage status in humans. We examined a 36-year-old patient after 6 weeks of unilateral immobilization. Knee joint cartilage morphology (patella and tibia), patellar cartilage deformation, and thigh muscle cross-sectio...

OBJECTIVE To determine the differences in load-bearing patellofemoral joint cartilage thickness between genders. To determine the differences in load-bearing cartilage thickness between pain-free controls and individuals with patellofemoral pain. METHODS The articular cartilage thickness of the patella and anterior femur was estimated from magnetic resonance images in 16 young, pain-free cont...

OBJECTIVE The ability to fully regenerate lost limbs has made the axolotl salamander (Ambystoma mexicanum) a valuable model for studies of tissue regeneration. The current experiments investigate the ability of these vertebrates to repair large articular cartilage defects and restore normal hyaline cartilage and joint structure independent of limb amputation. METHODS Full-thickness articular ...

Fulkerson originally designed the tibial tuberosity anteromedialization technique to address patellofemoral pain associated with patellofemoral chondrosis in conjunction with patellofemoral tilt and/or chronic patellar subluxation while avoiding the complication rate of the Maquet tibial tuberosity elevation.12 The anteromedialization technique transferred areas of patellofemoral loading throug...

OBJECTIVE To investigate whether local removal of phagocytic synovial lining cells (SLCs) from the knee joint before onset of collagen type II arthritis has an effect on development of cartilage destruction. METHODS Phagocytic SLCs were selectively depleted by a single injection of clodronate laden liposomes in the knee joint seven days before induction of collagen type II arthritis (CIA). Cl...

Several experimental models of osteoarthritis in rats are used to study the pathophysiology of osteoarthritis. Many mechanically induced models have the limitation that permanent joint instability is induced by, for example, ligament transection or meniscal damage. This permanent instability will counteract the potential beneficial effects of therapy. The groove model of osteoarthritis uses a o...

OBJECTIVE The matricellular protein NOV/CCN3, is implicated in osteoarthritis (OA) and targeted mutation of NOV in mice (Nov(del3)) leads to joint abnormalities. This investigation tested whether NOV is required for joint homeostasis and if its disruption causes joint degeneration. METHOD NOV expression in the adult mouse joint was characterized by immunohistochemistry. A detailed comparison ...