Our long-term goal is to understand the mechanisms by which relaxin and estrogen potentially contribute to joint diseases, particularly those afflicting the fibrocartilaginous temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Previously, we showed that relaxin produces a dose-dependent induction of tissue-degrading enzymes of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family, specifically MMP-1 (collagenase-1), MMP-3 (st...

Tendons are anatomical structures connecting muscles to bones which generate transmission of forces, thereby ensuring joint movements.1 Due to overuse or age-related degeneration, tendon injuries have become a common clinical problem. Damaged tendons heal slowly and rarely retain the structural integrity and mechanical strength of a healthy tendon, which often results in clinical challenges as ...

The dorsal radiocarpal ligament (DRCL) has been implicated in both volar and dorsal intercalated segmental instabilities and has a role in midcarpal instability. Tears of the DRCL are more common than previously suspected. They are best seen through a volar radial portal and are amenable to arthroscopic repair. DRCL tears appear to be part of a spectrum of radialand ulnar-sided carpal instabili...

Microfracture, a common procedure for treatment of cartilage injury, induces fibrocartilage repair by recruiting bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) to the site of cartilage injury. However, fibrocartilage is inferior biomechanically to hyaline cartilage. SRY-type high-mobility group box-9 (SOX9) is a master regulator of chondrogenesis by promoting proliferation and differentiation...

Currently, the mechanism governing the regeneration of the soft tissue-to-bone interface, such as the transition between the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and bone, is not known. Focusing on the ACL-to-bone insertion, this study tests the novel hypothesis that interactions between cells from the ligament (fibroblasts) and bone (osteoblasts) initiate interface regeneration. Specifically, thes...

Restoring the native structure of the tendon enthesis, where collagen fibers of the midsubstance are integrated within a fibrocartilaginous structure, is problematic following injury. As current surgical methods fail to restore this region adequately, engineers, biologists, and clinicians are working to understand how this structure forms as a prerequisite to improving repair outcomes. We recen...

The purpose of this study was to investigate cartilage repair of in vitro lesion models using human bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (hBMSCs) with different collagen (Col) scaffolds. Lesions were made in human cartilage biopsies. Injured samples were pre-treated with interleukin 1β (IL1β) for 24 h; also, samples were not pre-treated. hBMSCs were seeded on different types of collagen scaffo...

The knee meniscus is a fibrocartilaginous tissue vital to orthopedic health but critically lacking in regenerative capacity. Over 450,000 meniscectomies are performed annually in the US, and such defects are left empty due to the lack of a suitable meniscus replacement. Meniscectomies, however, have been shown to lead to osteoarthritis. Meniscus tissue generated in vitro may greatly improve cur...