Osteoarthritis and Cartilage Regeneration: Focus on Pathophysiology and Molecular Mechanisms

Dear Colleagues,

Osteoarthritis (OA) is an age-related and/or trauma-induced multi-factorial, slowly-progressing, and, primarily, non-inflammatory degenerative disorder of the synovial joints culminating in the irreversible destruction of the articular cartilage. Although OA is the most common musculoskeletal condition that causes significant health and social problems worldwide, its exact etiology is still unclear. Age-related wear, overuse, limb mal-alignment and genetic disorders, as well as metabolic problems (obesity, immune responses, diabetes), play important roles in the onset of OA. OA is not exclusively a disorder of articular cartilage; it can be considered as an organ failure of the whole joint with additional abnormalities, especially in bone, ligaments, synovium and the joint capsule.

Joint cartilage and other joint tissues such as tendons/ligaments have a poor intrinsic capacity to heal. Therefore, restoration of a diseased articular surface and of tendons/ligaments at an early stage is a significant challenge for clinicians and researchers. Current orthopaedic therapeutic strategies include bone marrow stimulation, osteochondral transfer and several cell-based techniques. Current pharmacological strategies either seek to relieve pain and increase mobility (symptom modifying drugs) or aim to affect the disease (DMOAD, disease modifying osteoarthritis drugs). To date, none of the current DMOAD-based approaches will stop disease progression, nor regenerate damaged cartilage. Thus, there is an ultimate need for the development of new, non-invasive or minimal-invasive treatments that could slow down and/or stop OA progression and substitute joint replacement for end-stage OA-patients.

This Special Issue calls for original research papers, mini and full reviews, and perspectives that address the progress and current knowledge on the pathophysiological mechanisms of osteoarthritis. This includes therapeutic pharmacological and cell-based strategies, as well as protective surgical interventions, such as reconstruction of chondral and osteochondral lesions and ruptured ligaments and tendons.

Prof. Dr. Susanne Grässel
PD Dr. Attila Aszodi
Guest Editors

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