NEW GEL HELPS GROW CARTILAGE IN KNEES

Posted on November 29, 2009 by Jeffrey Newman

Ordinarily, knee cartilage can’t regenerate because it has no oxygen supply so damage is permanent. Now, scientists at The University of Colorado have developed a gel which enables cartilage to restore itself and may obviate the need for knee replacements. The hydrogel has been successfully tested in goats and clinical studies are under way. The gel, which is incredibly strong, mimics the feel of human cartilage, restoring motion to an injured knee almost instantly. The lead researcher is Kristi Anseth, Professor of bioengineering at The University of Colorado. The product is expected to be available within four years.