Human pathology

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osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is the most common human joint disease, characterized by loss and/or remodeling of joint synovium, cartilage, and bone.

Osteoarthritis (OA) demonstrates considerable clinical heterogeneity, generating heated debate over whether OA is a single disease or a complex mix of disparate diseases and concerning which tissues are principally involved in disease initiation and progression.

Etiology

- mutation in the MATN3 gene encoding the noncollagenous cartilage extracellular matrix protein matrilin-3 (12736871)

References

- Wieland HA, Michaelis M, Kirschbaum BJ, Rudolphi KA. Osteoarthritis - an untreatable disease? Nat Rev Drug Discov. 2005 Apr;4(4):331-44. PMID: 15803196

- Peach CA, Carr AJ, Loughlin J. Recent advances in the genetic investigation of osteoarthritis. Trends Mol Med. 2005 Apr;11(4):186-91. PMID: 15823757