Grant: Operating Grant

Injuries to and diseases of joint cartilage can lead to osteoarthritis (0A) affecting 4 million Canadians with 60% younger than 65 years of age. OA is the second leading cause of work disability in North America. This research seeks a treatment option (joint transplantation) for damaged joint cartilage thereby limiting development of OA. The best treatment option would be to transplant normal joint cartilage but timing required for tissue donation requires a preservation technique. Current preservation techniques for joint transplants rely on controlled ice formation but this kills the cells that maintain the joint cartilage matrix and physically damages the intricate structure of the cartilage matrix. We propose a method of preseving the integrity of joint cartilage by avoiding ice crystal formation (vitrification). Vitrification maintains cell viability and matrix structure allowing cartilage storage for later use in transplantation procedures for damaged joints, improving long-term clinical outcomes of currently performed Orthopaedic surgical techniques, and decreasing the risk of infectious disease transmission. The research proposed here will use a statistical approach to generate experimental data and compare this with mathematical modeling - a unique approach applied to preservation of joint cartilage. We will develop new vitrification solutions, learn about toxicity of various solutions and determine the ability of these agents to enter the matrix. The successful vitrification protocol will then be performed on a transplantation model in preparation for use in a joint transplantation program. This research can help prevent osteoarthritis from developing after joint injury, with the high likelihood of improving the quality of life locally and internationally.