Histology of subchondral bone in osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis affects many people as they get older leading to pain and disability. The only ‘treatment’ is a joint replacement. We know surprisingly little about why the joints become deformed, stiff and painful. We shall obtain the ‘ball’, from the ball socket joint in the hip, from patients having a hip replacement and use a microscope to look in more detail at the cells in the bone and bone marrow. By understanding the types of cells and where they come from, we shall obtain a clearer picture of the changes caused by the disease and what makes it progress.