Osteoarthritis (OA), the most common form of arthritis, is generally characterized by a slowly progressive degeneration of articular cartilage, particularly in the weight-bearing joints. It has a stronger prevalence in women, and its incidence increases with age. OA is a major and growing health concern in developed countries, owing to steadily increasing life expectancy and the demand for better quality of life. Because of its chronic nature and nonfatal outcome, OA affects the growing population of the elderly over an increasing time span. Moreover, despite its relatively benign character,...

An indispensable collection of updated classical and emerging techniques that promise to add critical knowledge to our understanding of cartilage metabolism in health and disease. Volume 1: Cellular and Molecular Tools describes proven molecular and cellular techniques for the in vitro study of normal and osteoarthritic cartilage through biochemical, biomolecular, immunological, and physical approaches, with emphasis on the genetic manipulation of cells. Volume 2: Structure and In Vivo Analysis, offers cutting-edge procedures for the study-at the tissue level-of turnover, structure, and...

An indispensable collection of updated classical and emerging techniques that promise to add critical knowledge to our understanding of cartilage metabolism in health and disease. Volume 1: Cellular and Molecular Tools describes proven molecular and cellular techniques for the in vitro study of normal and osteoarthritic cartilage through biochemical, biomolecular, immunological, and physical approaches, with emphasis on the genetic manipulation of cells. Volume 2: Structure and In Vivo Analysis, offers cutting-edge procedures for the study-at the tissue level-of turnover, structure, and...