DETERMINING CARTILAGE DEGENERATION AND AGING USING BONE MORPHOGENIC PROTEINS

摘要

Methods are provided for determining cartilage degeneration or regeneration in a joint tissue in a patient by measuring levels of osteogenic protein-1 (OP-1) protein and/or mRNA in synovial fluid or joint tissue. The methods according to the invention are useful for detecting, diagnosing, predicting, determining a predisposition for, or monitoring joint tissue degeneration and regeneration in a patient including inflammatory joint disease or age-related disorders.