Focusing on the Cause of OA

Osteoarthritis is the most prevalent joint disease. It begins with disruption of the cartilage surface and leads to progressive cartilage damage. Aging is the major risk factor for this form of arthritis; however, mechanisms for the initiation of the earliest cartilage damage are not known.
Dr. Taniguchi focuses on the role of a novel protein in cartilage surface and aging-dependent osteoarthritis. This information will not only be relevant to osteoarthritis but also to cartilage tissue engineering.