IIT Delhi, IIT Kanpur Regenerate Rat Knee Cartilage With 3D Silk Scaffold

1 articles · Updated · Nature.com · Aug 13

A chemically modified 3D silk-gelatine scaffold repaired cartilage defects in rat knees, producing new tissue that closely resembled natural joint cartilage.
The construct targeted osteoarthritis by blocking excess bone morphogenetic protein while supporting WNT/β-catenin signaling, a pathway crucial for cartilage homeostasis.
Researchers implanted the scaffold into the femoral trochlear groove after inducing osteoarthritis in rats, where it supported cartilage-specific collagen production needed for durable repair.
The regenerated tissue showed minimal inflammation and lacked markers of enlarged cartilage, suggesting a cleaner repair response and potential relevance for future arthritis treatments.