Cartilage metabolism diseases

Clinical information

Cartilage is a flexible tissue without blood vessels or nerves that is present in many areas of the body such as joints and discs. It forms a firm, compression-stable supporting tissue consisting of chondrocytes and an intercellular substance. The chondrocytes produce interconnected collagen fibres with water bound between them, which ensures elasticity and protects from compression loads.

In the joints, cartilage is exposed to constant mechanical stress, which is one of the main causes of chronic and degenerative joint diseases.

Diagnostics

Osteoarthritis is a chronic degenerative joint disease with cartilage degradation that leads to pain and functional limitations. Due to the continuous wear and tear, metabolic products accumulate in the affected joints, which can lead to inflammation (activated osteoarthritis).

The degenerative process can also be triggered by other factors and may thus also cause problems at a young age. Specifically, an imbalance in the cartilage metabolism occurs, resulting in more cartilage being broken down than produced, which irreversibly damages the cartilage tissue.

Currently there are no markers for cartilage metabolism which can be used for diagnostics, evaluation of the severity of the disease or therapy monitoring. However, components of the extracellular matrix as well as structural proteins of the cartilage such as C-terminal telopeptide of collagen type II (CTX-II) and cartilage degradation products such as cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) and hyaluronic acid are among the most studied and researched molecules associated with the progression of osteoarthritis. These biomarkers are directly linked to cartilage metabolism and, according to studies, may reflect the degree of the damage.