Method for monitoring collagen type II degradation in cartilage

摘要

A method for improving the diagnostic assessment of cartilage degenerative processes, and to provide means of monitoring the effects of therapeutical measures taken towards arthritic diseases in most mammals utilizes an immunoassay to detect fragments of collagen type II resulting from collagenase activity comprising an antibody directed against an epitope comprised in the amino acid sequence HRGYPGLDG (SEQ ID NO:1), located in the helical region of collagen type II.