An experimental bioactive material may someday be used to create new cartilage in damaged joints, researchers say.
The material could potentially prevent the need for knee replacement surgeries, treat degenerative diseases like osteoarthritis and repair certain sports-related injuries, according to a report published on Tuesday in PNAS.
Damaged cartilage “can have a great impact on people’s overall health and mobility. The problem is that, in adult humans, cartilage does not have an inherent ability to heal,” study leader Samuel Stupp of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois said in a statement.
The new material consists of amino acids that bind to proteins essential for cartilage growth and maintenance, plus modified hyaluronic acid, a substance present in cartilage and the lubricating fluid in joints.
Together, these components drive the creation and assembly of tiny fibers into bundles that create a scaffold to mimic the natural architecture of the type of cartilage present in joints, the researchers said.
The fibers themselves are “bioactive,” emitting signals that encourage the body to regenerate cartilage cells to populate the scaffold.
In a study in sheep, the researchers applied the material to damaged cartilage in leg joints that are similar to human knees. Within six months, they saw growth of “high quality” new cartilage and pain-free movement in joints.
The current standard of care for damaged cartilage is microfracture surgery, during which surgeons create tiny fractures in the underlying bone to induce new cartilage growth. This approach “often results in the formation of fibrocartilage — the same cartilage in our ears — as opposed to hyaline cartilage, which is the one we need to have functional joints,” Stupp said.
“By regenerating hyaline cartilage, our approach should be more resistant to wear and tear, fixing the problem of poor mobility and joint pain for the long term while also avoiding the need for joint reconstruction with large pieces of hardware.”
