ABSTRACT
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic disease that is variable in its progression (Felson et al., 2000). In this disease, there is active bone remodeling, seen with osteophyte formation, and compromise to the overlying cartilage (Felson et al., 2000). Although it remains to be determined whether OA is primarily a disease of bone or cartilage, the current data suggest that this disease is not a passive process of degeneration but an active result of multiple molecular signaling pathways. The enhanced turnover of cartilage and bone matrix components suggests that mechanisms of selfrenewal and homeostasis are not operating effectively in this disease. A growing body of evidence indicates that the WNT/β-catenin pathway is one of the key pathways involved in the pathogenesis of OA.
