Wnt signaling in cartilage development and degeneration

Abstract

Articular cartilage provides mechanical support for joints and is responsible for smooth and pain free joint movement. It it the primary tissue affected in joint diseases such as osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) which are the leading causes of mobility-associated disability. Wnt signaling is widely involved in development and disease and has been proposed as a therapeutic target for the treatment of OA. A remarkable effort has contributed to the elucidation of the role of Wnt signal transduction in cartilage development and degeneration. Given the complexity of Wnt signaling and joint diseases, it's still far from transferring our current knowledge of Wnt signaling in cartilage to applications in the treatment for human joint diseases. This thesis aims to provide more insightful understanding of Wnt signaling function in cartilage and consists of studies using both animal models and human materials with the emphasis on human materials.