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#