Patients 'could grow own joints'

A team of US experts has developed a technique which could in future allow people with knee or hip problems "grow" their own replacement joints using their stem cells.

The study on rabbits, published online in The Lancet medical journal, has shown for the first time that it is possible to regenerate joints inside the body using either harvested stem cells or an animal's own stem cells.

Researchers believe that the technique paves the way for a future where people grow their own bone and cartilage, which allow full range of movement and weight bearing capability and potentially last longer than artificial joints used today.

The study, led by Professor Jeremy Mao and his team at Columbia University Medical Centre in New York, used artificially created scaffolds similar to rabbit hip joints, infused with a growth factor.

The scaffolds were then implanted into 10 rabbits after their own hip joints had been removed.

Attracted by the growth factor, their own stem cells went to the location of the missing joint and regenerated cartilage and bone in two separate layers.

Just three to four weeks after surgery, the rabbits had fully regained movement and could bear weight similar to animals who had never undergone surgery.

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