Authors: Yuriy Nalapko, Dmytro Klokol, Jonathan R.T. Lakey, Orn Adalsteinsson, Shing Yi Pan, Thomas Skutella, Michelle B.F. Wong, Mike K.S. Chan.
Cartilage diseases refer to an umbrella of joint disorders, joint injuries and cartilage tumors that are largely characterized by degenerative chondrocyte changes in joints.Osteoarthritis(OA) is the most common form of chronic cartilage diseases, affecting 250 million people and is the fourth leading cause of disability worldwide. The widely used pharmacological treatments for OA have shown limited benefits, and further studies are required. Stem cells have been proposed as regenerative cell therapy for OA to repair and replace the injured cells and tissues with new ones, due to their potential for self-renewal and differentiation into cartilage-forming chondrocytes and immune-modulating capabilities. A number of preclinical and clinical studies have confirmed the potential for mesenchymal stem cells as a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of OA. In this review, we look at the promising evidence for stem cell use in OA treatment.
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