Human Chondrocytes: Rheumatoid Arthritis: HC-RA

Human Chondrocytes Rheumatoid Arthritis (HC-RA) are derived from human articular cartilage of donors with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).  Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory disease that is characterized by overproliferation of synovial cells and their infiltration into adjacent joint tissues, accompanied by gradual destruction of cartilage and bone erosion.  Normally, chondrocytes are responsible for producing and maintaining the extracellular matrix of cartilage, but in RA cartilage, the environment is changed significantly due to inflammation and the invasion of other cells.  Therefore, HC-RA can be a useful model to study the effects of those changes on chondrocyte biology.  In parallel with normal HC, HC-RA can be used to investigate the differences between normal and pathological joints and evaluate potential treatment strategies.