stem cell treatment for knees osteoarthritis

The study resulted in the long-term repair of articular cartilage defects. Building on previous research to develop and characterize the implant, the current study involved implantation of the Plurocart membrane into a pig model of osteoarthritis. That joint preservation technology developed at USC is a therapeutic bio-implant, called Plurocart, composed of a scaffold membrane seeded with stem cell-derived chondrocytes-the cells responsible for producing and maintaining healthy articular cartilage tissue. “Since these can be detected by imaging techniques such as MRI, this opens up the possibility of early intervention therapies that limit the progression of these lesions so we can avoid the need for total joint replacement.”

“In some patients joint degeneration starts with posttraumatic focal lesions, which are lesions in the articular (joint) cartilage ranging from 1 to 8 cm 2 in diameter,” Evseenko said. To prevent the development of arthritis and alleviate the need for invasive joint replacement surgeries, the USC researchers are intervening earlier in the disease. The disorder, which is often painful, can affect any joint, but most commonly affects those in our knees, hips, hands and spine. Osteoarthritis occurs when the protective cartilage that coats the ends of the bones breaks down over time, resulting in bone-on-bone friction. The research, recently published in npj Regenerative Medicine, was led by two researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of USC: Denis Evseenko, MD, PhD, associate professor of orthopaedic surgery, and stem cell biology and regenerative medicine, director of the skeletal regeneration program, and vice chair for research of orthopaedic surgery and Frank Petrigliano, MD, associate professor of clinical orthopaedic surgery and chief of the USC Epstein Family Center for Sports Medicine.

The work will now advance into humans with support from a $6 million grant from the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). It’s a last resort treatment for pain and mobility issues associated with osteoarthritis, a progressive disease caused by degeneration of the protective layer of cartilage that stops our bones grinding together when we sit, stand, write, or move around.īut what if doctors could intervene and repair damaged cartilage before surgery is needed?įor the first time, researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of USC have used a stem cell-based bio-implant to repair cartilage and delay joint degeneration in a large animal model. More than a million Americans undergo knee and hip replacements each year. Frank Petrigliano, MD, (left) and Denis Evseenko, MD, PhD (Photo by Ricardo Carrasco III) A novel off-the-shelf bio-implant containing embryonic stem cells has the potential to revolutionize the treatment of cartilage injuries

Stem cell treatment for knees osteoarthritis