cartilage

Researchers at TU Wien have developed a new way to grow cartilage from stem cells and guide it into basically any shape required. The breakthrough could lead to better ways to patch up injuries.Cartilage is the rubbery tissue in joints that acts like a cushion to stop bones rubbing against each other. But as important as it is, it has almost no regenerative ability in adults, so when it’s damaged due to injury or just decades of wear-and-tear, it can lead to painful chronic conditions like osteoarthritis.Scientists are…

A gel-based cartilage replacement for sore knees has been created by Duke researchers. It is stronger and more long-lasting than the real thing.The team hopes to conduct clinical trials next year (2023).Some patients have tried everything to cure their knee pain, including over-the-counter painkillers, physical therapy, and steroid injections. However, their pain persists.Osteoarthritis, which affects 867 million individuals globally and is estimated to impact one in six of all adults, is often the cause of knee pain.…

A torn meniscus, the cartilage in the knee, is a common sports injury, and unfortunately it doesn’t heal well. But researchers in Japan have now identified a hormone that helps repair the cartilage after a surgical treatment.The meniscus is the C-shaped piece of cartilage in our knees, which cushions the thighbone against the shinbone. This vital tissue is susceptible to injury though, especially during sports. Twisting at the knee suddenly while putting weight on it can tear the meniscus, and many of these injuries won’t…

Joint pain is a common ailment of aging, thanks to cartilage’s tendency to wear out. Now, researchers at Duke University have developed a new hydrogel that’s stronger and more durable than the real thing, which could make for longer lasting knee implants.Natural cartilage plays an important role in cushioning joints, but unfortunately it doesn’t regenerate itself very well after damage by age or injury. Current treatment options are usually limited to pain medication, physical therapy, or if things progress too far, a…

Knee pain is one of the most rampant health issues for many. This pain stems from the wear and tear of the cartilage in a medical condition called osteoarthritis. Seeking relief, people commonly turn to steroid injections, pain relievers, physical therapies, or getting their knee joint replaced. But, a new development might prove to be a game changer. Researchers from Duke University have created the first gel-based substitute for natural cartilage, which, according to them, is more durable than the original. The hydrogel…

When cartilage in joints such as the knees gets damaged, it is very slow to heal – if it ever does at all. An experimental new biohybrid material could one day replace it, however, and may even promote the growth of new natural cartilage.One of the challenges in designing artificial cartilage lies in the fact that like its natural counterpart, the material must be malleable enough to bend with the joint, yet also tough enough to withstand the loads constantly placed upon it.In the past, substances made of natural polymers…

A strange creature that sloshed about in Earth's oceans over half a billion years ago seems to be the earliest vertebrate relative we've found to date.They're called yunnanozoans, dating to the Early Cambrian some 518 million years ago. Cartilaginous features found in their fossilized remains are comparable to modern vertebrates, paleontologists have discovered.  This suggests that the animals are stem vertebrates, an extinct sister-group to the group from which modern vertebrates are descended."Pharyngeal arches are a…

A US medical team said Thursday they had reconstructed a human ear using the patient's own tissue to create a 3D bioimplant, a pioneering procedure they hope can be used to treat people with a rare birth defect.  The surgery was performed as part of an early-stage clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the implant for people with microtia, in which the external ear is small and not formed properly.AuriNovo, as the implant is called, was developed by the company 3DBio Therapeutics while the surgery was led…