Research Progress of Stem Cells in The Treatment of Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a common disease of the musculoskeletal system that endangers the health of the elderly. It is manifested by the progressive degradation and loss of articular cartilage, osteophyte formation, subchondral bone remodeling, and synovial inflammation. There is no cure for joint dysfunction and joint deformity. With the development of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine technology, the multi-directional differentiation potential of stem cells is used to induce their differentiation into chondrocytes, so that they have cartilage repair function, improve the damaged cartilage and improve the quality of life of patients. Treatment brings new hope. This article summarizes the latest findings in pre-clinical and clinical studies using stem cells to treat osteoarthritis in the past five years, and provides references for stem cells from various sources to treat osteoarthritis.