Patent ID: RE41391

Claim:
A method of specifically and selectively up-regulating the gene expression of type II collagen mRNA in cartilage tissue, comprising the steps of: generating at least one specific and selective signal that is selected from possible signals by determining sequential dose response curves for gene expression of type II collagen mRNA in response to respective signal characteristics of said possible signals and selecting a signal from said possible signals that provides has a frequency of about 30 kHz to about 120 kHz and that, when applied to a field generating device operatively disposed with respect to the cartilage tissue causes the generation of a substantially optimized dose response curve electric field having an amplitude of about 0 . 2 - 40 mV/cm in the cartilage tissue for the up-regulation of the gene expression of type II collagen mRNA when said field is applied to the cartilage tissue; and exposing the cartilage tissue to a specific and selective the substantially optimized electric field generated by the said field generating device upon the application of said at least one specific and selective signal thereto for a predetermined duration of time of about 1 / 2 to about 24 hours per 24 hour period at a predetermined intervals duty cycle from approximately 4 . 2 %- 100 % so as to selectively up-regulate the gene expression of type II collagen mRNA in the cartilage tissue .