"Most clinical studies have shown that the articular cartilage in adults has almost no regenerative capacity, so there is very limited that we can do for patients once wear and tear and illness occur." Stanford University researcher Dr. Charles K.F. Chan said in a study on articular cartilage published in the prestigious journal Nature Medicine. "Therefore, it is especially important to find a way to help regenerate cartilage!"
According to a survey by the Mainland Institute of Bone and Joint Research, there are currently 120 million people with osteoarthritis in China, and many more people are suffering from other joint diseases. These patients, if not treated scientifically in a timely manner, may lead to lifelong disability.
Globally, the impact of this disease is more serious, so this aspect has become a new direction for scientists from all over the world to concentrate on research. In this study, the Stanford research team found that there is a way to regenerate joint cartilage in mice and human tissue.
Micro-fracture technique promotes cartilage regeneration
Joint cartilage is a complex and special tissue that provides a smooth and elastic cushion between the bones at the joint. When cartilage is thinned by trauma, disease, loss of ammonia glucose strong bone (the core component of the joint cartilage matrix), or as it ages, the bones rub directly against each other, causing pain and inflammation, and eventually arthritis.
Researchers have found that techniques through micro-fractures can promote the regeneration of cartilage. In simple terms, through artificial means, small holes are turned in the healthy joint bones to form an artificial trauma surface. Then, in the process of natural healing of joint wounds, chemical signals are used to artificially guide the growth of bone stem cells so that the healing site forms a new fibrous tissue, thereby replacing the already damaged cartilage tissue.
The reason why it can artificially guide the growth of bone stem cells is due to another study conducted by Stanford University. In previous studies, the team successfully isolated bone stem cells. It's a self-renewing cell that's widely found in our bones. Bone stem cells are also responsible for producing bone, cartilage, and a special type of cell that helps bone marrow secondary school cells develop.
But scientists have found that the new tissue produced by micro-fracture technology is not the same as the real cartilage. It is more like a scar tissue that forms after a wound has healed than natural cartilage. Therefore, the tissue that emerges from this does not have the elasticity and toughness of cartilage, so it will be more susceptible to damage.
Cell technology guides bone development to form new cartilage
Apparently, the Stanford research team was not very satisfied with the results of this experiment, so they came up with new ideas. In the previous experiment, the team documented that the micro-fracture method did activate bone stem cells and did indeed form new regenerated fibrous tissue on the surface of the joint cartilage.
But this fibrous tissue is not a substitute for natural cartilage, so how can the healing process after micro-fractures allow the newborn tissue to turn to the development of cartilage and away from fibrocartilage? The researchers thought that as bones developed, cells must first go through the cartilage stage before they can be converted to bone.
So the idea is that they might encourage bone stem cells in the joint to start turning into bone along a path, but stop the process at the cartilage stage. To do this, the researchers used a powerful molecule called bone morphogenesis protein 2 (BMP2) to initiate bone formation after microrefractures, but used a molecule halfway through to block another signaling molecule that is important in bone formation, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).
Eventually, they succeeded in getting the desired newborn cartilage tissue, which consists of the same cells as natural cartilage, with similar mechanical properties to natural cartilage, unlike the fibrous cartilage obtained before, which not only restored the mobility of osteoarthritis mice during the course of the study, but also significantly reduced their pain. ”
To demonstrate that this principle may also apply to humans, the researchers transplanted human tissue into mice that were bred not to reject the tissue, and demonstrated that human skeletal stem cells can also direct bone development but stop at the cartilage stage. But the study has not yet been formally implemented in humans, and in order to ensure the rigor of the results, the research team decided to conduct similar experiments on larger animals before starting human clinical trials.
Prevention is more important than cure!
Previously, artificial joint replacement surgery was the last resort for the treatment of end-stage osteoarthritis, and the International Institute of Osteo- and Joint Research showed that in people over the age of 80, one in ten people will undergo a hip replacement and one in twenty people will undergo a knee replacement.
However, this type of arthroplasty is highly invasive, has a limited lifespan, and can only be performed after the onset of arthritis and the patient is in constant pain. The researchers said that if people can restore the vitality of joint cartilage by ingesting amino sugar strong bone or other maintenance substances before the joint cartilage is seriously degraded, it is a more correct choice to avoid arthritis from the beginning.
Clinically proven substances with joint repair effects include Litevigie ammonia sugar, ammonia glucose and so on. However, these substances can only be applied to the initial repair of joint injuries and daily maintenance of joints, if the joint injury is too serious, please seek medical attention in time. Substances such as ammonia sugar strong bone ning can be selected on the Tmall and Jingdong platforms. Each of us should understand that prevention is more important than treatment!
In daily life, we should pay attention to the health and maintenance of joints. Not letting your joints get sick is the most correct approach, so in daily life, you should avoid sitting and standing for a long time. Develop the habit of exercising properly and avoiding overexertion. In addition, supplementation with exogenous joint care substances is also essential.
Of course, the research results of Stanley University, if it can be further matured and can be applied to large-scale clinical applications, it will be a new hope for more than 300 million osteoarthritis patients around the world, and with the continuous progress of science, I believe that this day will not be far away!