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Updated: Apr 23, 2026

Establishment and Evaluation of a Sheep Model of Full-thickness Osteochondral Defect
Published on: April 14, 2026
Role of integrins and their ligands in osteoarthritic cartilage
Jian Tian1, Fang-Jie Zhang, Guang-Hua Lei
1Department of Orthopaedics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, No. 87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China.
Abstract:
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative disease, which is characterized by articular cartilage destruction, and mainly affects the older people. The extracellular matrix (ECM) provides a vital cellular environment, and interactions between the cell and ECM are important in regulating many biological processes, including cell growth, differentiation, and survival. However, the pathogenesis of this disease is not fully elucidated, and it cannot be cured totally. Integrins are one of the major receptors in chondrocytes. A number of studies confirmed that the chondrocytes express several integrins including α5β1, αVβ3, αVβ5, α6β1, α1β1, α2β1, α10β1, and α3β1, and some integrins ligands might act as the OA progression biomarkers. This review focuses on the functional role of integrins and their extracellular ligands in OA progression, especially OA cartilage. Clear understanding of the role of integrins and their ligands in OA cartilage may have impact on future development of successful therapeutic approaches to OA.
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