As the life span of the average person is increased, osteoarthritis, the degeneration of joints, is becoming an increasingly important problem. No effective treatment has been found to reverse or stop the progression of the disease.
Painkillers only provide quick but temporary symptomatic relief.
If the condition worsens and becomes severe enough, total joint replacement may be the only answer. Understanding the molecular origins of osteoarthritis may elucidate the cause of the degeneration of cartilage and shed light on possible methods to stop or even reverse this disease. PGs are composed of a core protein with multiple attached polysaccharide chains. These negatively charged side chains create a swelled, hydrated environment giving cartilage its compressive resistance. Large aggregates are composed of many aggrecans which are noncovalently attached by a link protein to the protein core, hyaluronan.