In vitro studies have shown that Rela/p65, a key subunit mediating NF-κB signalling, is involved in chondrogenic differentiation, cell survival and catabolic enzyme production. Here, we analyse in vivo functions of Rela in embryonic limbs and adult articular cartilage, and find that Rela protects chondrocytes from apoptosis through induction of anti-apoptotic genes including Pik3r1. During skel...

Background Lubricin is chondrocyte-secreted glycoprotein that primarily conducts boundary lubrication between joint surfaces. Besides its cytoprotective function and extracellular matrix (ECM) attachment, lubricin is recommended as a novel biotherapeutic protein that restore functional articular cartilage. Likewise, malfunction of lubrication in damaged articular cartilage caused by complex and...

When Policy Topic is covered Autologous chondrocyte implantation may be considered medically necessary for the treatment of disabling full-thickness articular cartilage defects of the knee caused by acute or repetitive trauma, in patients who have had an inadequate response to a prior surgical procedure, when all of the following criteria are met:  Adolescent patients should be skeletally matu...

OBJECTIVE To obtain well characterized immortalized murine chondrocyte cell lines. The cell lines were obtained from mature articular chondrocytes, instead of embryonal cells which are used in most other studies. METHODS Pieces of articular cartilage were cut from murine patellae and femoral heads. Chondrocytes were isolated by digestion with collagenase. These cells were cultured in monolaye...

INTRODUCTION: Human articular cartilage degeneration has been strongly associated with aging, the degree of osteoarthritis, as well as levels of biomechanical stress. Morphometric changes in the subchondral plate, chondrocyte density and levels of calcification have been implicated as causes of osteoarthritis, but these relationships remain controversial because of conflicting conclusions. For ...

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are widely used in cartilage tissue engineering to repair articular cartilage defects. However, hypertrophy of chondrocytes derived from MSCs might hinder the stabilization of hyaline cartilage. Thus, it is very important to find a suitable way to maintain the chondrogenic phenotype of chondrocytes. It has been reported that cordycepin has anti-inflammatory and ant...

OBJECTIVE To investigate the single and combined effects of electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure and the insulin growth factor-I (IGF-I) on proteoglycan (PG) synthesis of bovine articular cartilage explants and chondrocytes cultured in monolayers. DESIGN Bovine articular cartilage explants and chondrocyte monolayers were exposed to EMF (75Hz; 1.5mT) for 24h in the absence and in the presence ...

Variation in mechanical loading is known to influence chondrogenesis during joint formation. However, the interaction among chondrocyte behavior and variation in activity patterns is incompletely understood, hindering our knowledge of limb ontogeny and function. Here, the role of endurance exercise in the development of articular and physeal cartilage in the humeral head was examined in 14 mini...

OBJECTIVE To examine the distribution of insulin like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) receptors and the biological response to IGF-1 stimulation in articular cartilage of normal mouse knee joints and arthritic joints taken at various stages of experimentally induced arthritis. METHODS In situ IGF-1 receptor expression and responsiveness to IGF-1 stimulation were examined in murine articular cartilage...