BACKGROUND: Matrix vesicles have been implicated in the mineralization of calcified
cartilage, bone and dentin for more than 40 years. During this period, their exact role, if any …

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease characterized by articular cartilage
degradation and changes in the subchondral bone. Over the last two decades, there has …

Human HtrA1 belongs to a widely conserved family of serine proteases involved in various
aspects of protein quality control and cell fate. Although HtrA1 has been implicated in the …

Intervertebral discs allow bending and twisting of the spine whilst resisting compression from
gravity and muscle action, and are composite structures of the peripheral annulus fibrosus …

Senolytic drugs are designed to selectively clear senescent cells (SnCs) that accumulate
with injury or aging. In a mouse model of osteoarthritis (OA), senolysis yields a pro …

For tumours to invade and metastasise, neoplastic cells must be capable of degrading the
extracellular matrix (ECM), and accessing blood vessels and lymphatics. This process is …

The expression of laminin and fibronectin isoforms varies with cellular maturation and
differentiation and these differences may well influence cellular processes such as adhesion …

Throughout life chondrocytes maintain the articular cartilage matrix by replacing degraded
macromolecules and respond to focal cartilage injury or degeneration by increasing local …

Proper growth and development require the orderly synthesis and deposition of individual
components of the extracellular matrix (ECM) into well ordered networks. Once formed, the …

Interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) are key cytokines that drive the
production of inflammatory mediators and matrix-degrading enzymes in osteoarthritis (OA) …