Using Chitins for Cartilage Repair

Another interesting approach to cartilage repair is to take advantage of the biologic
similairy between chitin, part of the exoskeleton of lobsters and crabs, and chondriotin sulfate, part of the human cartilage matrix. The chemical similarities are closer than you might think. BioSyntech, (www.biosyntech.com) in Canada, is conducting a trial where the chitosan chemical is bound to a small blood clot and "sticks" into the cartilage lesion. The cartilage is also microfractured at the same time. The idea is to help the stem cells in the bone marrow stick to the cartilage defect and, hopefully, turn into some sort of cover resembling natural cartilage. A nice study has been done in sheep showing some promise for this technique.

Now listed on Technorati

I am pleased to tell all that this blog is now listed on Technorati for your convenience. Technorati Profile

New trial from JNJ

Another new, unproven technique to rebuild cartilage is being tested. This one, called CAIS, uses a small piece (biopsy) of a patient's normal appearing cartilage and place it in a matrix- sort of like a jelly- then puts it back into the knee. The cartilage iis "minced" up during the procedure, but not expanded or grown. This is in contract to the ACI approach, which uses tissue culture as a means of expanding the cartilage. It is therefore less expensive. So far only a few patients have trialled this new procedure so it is far too early to tell about uts success.