Osteoarthritis and Cartilage Regeneration: From Pathophysiology to Novel Therapeutic Approaches

Dear Colleagues,

Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common musculoskeletal conditions, causing significant disability and morbidity across the population. OA is a degenerative disorder of the synovial joints viewed as a single organ, eventually culminating in the irreversible degradation of the articular cartilage. Despite the widespread awareness of the disease, the pathogenesis of OA is not completely understood and, to date, no disease-modifying osteoarthritis treatments have been developed successfully. Furthermore, articular cartilage has a poor intrinsic healing capacity and the regeneration of degenerated cartilage remains a clinical challenge. 

This Special Issue is intended to deepen our current understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms involved in OA and look forward to novel therapeutic strategies and research directions for treating OA and restoring degenerated cartilage.

We encourage researchers to contribute to this Special Issue with original research papers that investigate the multifaceted pathophysiology of OA using cellular, molecular, genetic, and functional approaches. Novel cell-based, extracellular vesicle, pharmacological, and gene therapy studies, including trials evaluating potential OA candidates using preclinical animal models, are highly recommended. We would also welcome comprehensive reviews summarizing our current knowledge of osteoarthritis and cartilage regeneration and fostering the link between achievements in basic science and clinical outcomes.

Dr. Paolo Alberton
Guest Editor
Dr. Emeline Perrier-Groult
Co-Guest Editor

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