Cathepsin K as a marker for cartilage production, repair and regeneration
Ctsk is used as a marker to identify, track, and manipulate Ctsk positive cartilaginous stem cells for cartilage repair and regeneration in vitro and in vivo.
1. A method of repairing, restoring, or producing articular cartilage comprising introducing into an articulating joint an enriched population of cells comprising at least 60% cathepsin K positive cartilaginous stem cells, wherein said population comprises cells isolated from a perichondrial groove of Ranvier, wherein the population is harvested from groove of Ranvier cells from human cartilage and purified using a Cathepsin K-specific reagent.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said population of cathepsin K positive cartilaginous stem cells comprises autologous, allogeneic or syngeneic cathepsin K positive cartilaginous stem cells.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising administering to said articulating joint an agent, wherein said agent mobilizes and/or stimulates cathepsin K-expressed stem cells.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein said agent comprises insulin growth factor (IGF) or fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2).
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said articulating joint comprises a knee, hip, elbow, shoulder or vertebra.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said population of stem cells comprises 1×10 4 -1×10 10 cells.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said introducing comprises an intra-articular administration.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said enriched population of cells comprises at least 70% cathepsin K positive cartilaginous stem cells.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said enriched population of cells comprises at least 75% cathepsin K positive cartilaginous stem cells.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said enriched population of cells comprises at least 80% cathepsin K positive cartilaginous stem cells.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said enriched population of cells comprises at least 85% cathepsin K positive cartilaginous stem cells.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein said enriched population of cells comprises at least 90% cathepsin K positive cartilaginous stem cells.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein said enriched population of cells comprises at least 95% cathepsin K positive cartilaginous stem cells.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein said enriched population of cells comprises at least 98% cathepsin K positive cartilaginous stem cells.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein said enriched population of cells comprises at least 99% cathepsin K positive cartilaginous stem cells.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein said Cathepsin K-specific reagent comprises an anti-Cathepsin K antibody.