EULAR 2013: Researchers Make Inroads in Treatment of Osteoarthritis

“The questions that we’re trying to address [are], What is the role of MSCs on joint homeostasis?” he said. “What is their physiological role? What is the role of MSCs on the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis?”

Further understanding of the role of MSCs could be the foundation for the future of disease-modifying drugs in rheumatic diseases, Dr. De Bari said.

Thomas Collins is a freelance medical writer based in Florida.

References

1. Intema F, Van Roermund PM, Marijnissen AC, et al. Tissue structure modification in knee osteoarthritis by use of joint distraction: An open 1-year pilot study. Ann Rheum Dis. 2011;70:1441-1446.
2. Kurth TB, Dell’accio F, Crouch V, Augello A, Sharpe PT, De Bari C. Functional mesenchymal stem cell niches in adult mouse knee joint synovium in vivo. Arthritis Rheum. 2011;63:1289-1300.