New studies in musculoskeletal basic science are covered in the latest JBJS Specialty Update, What’s New in Musculoskeletal Basic Science. Here, we present the 5 most compelling studies, as selected by authors Stuart B. Goodman, MD, PhD; Jaimo Ahn, MD, PhD; and Edward Ebramzadeh, PhD.
Osteoarthritis
A new study contributed to the literature on therapeutic treatments for knee osteoarthritis. The researchers found that cartilage regeneration in mice was enhanced, and markers of osteoarthritis in humans reduced, by altering gene expression in established chondrocytes through the use of a small-molecule inhibitor to inhibit 15-hydroxy prostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH) expression1.
A review article discussed the concept of osteoarthritis as a systemic disease in which dysregulated interactions and cross talk among organ systems result in altered metabolic function and immune states2. “This concept will drive future basic and clinical research to better understand the optimal methodologies for diagnosis and treatment of this complex disease,” Specialty Update authors Drs. Goodman et al. explain.
Tissue Engineering
A study investigated the role of blood clots in osteogenesis promotion and mesenchymal stem-cell regulation. The researchers found that the formation of a blood clot at the site of a fracture activated Itgb1/Fak-mediated adhesion and subsequent Runx2-mediated bone regeneration. Local tissue viscoelasticity modulated this effect3.
Orthobiologics
A Level-1 meta-analysis evaluated 18 randomized controlled trials (1,995 patients) comparing platelet-rich plasma (PRP) with placebo for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. PRP was associated with superior, clinically relevant improvements in Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index scores and visual analog scale pain scores up to 12 months after the injection4.
Robotics and AI
A review article assessed the use of AI (artificial intelligence) in surgical education. Trainee monitoring, individualized learning, adaptive feedback, and continuous training improvement were identified as strengths of the technology. Limitations were also identified, including ethical concerns and barriers related to data standardization, algorithm evaluation, and curriculum modification5.
What’s New in Musculoskeletal Basic Science is freely available at JBJS.org.
What’s New by Subspecialty
Each month, JBJS publishes a review of the most pertinent studies from the orthopaedic literature in a select subspecialty. To read the reports, visit the What’s New by Subspecialty collection at JBJS.org.
Recent OrthoBuzz posts include: What’s New in Shoulder and Elbow Surgery, What’s New in Hip Surgery, and What’s New in Orthopaedic Rehabilitation.
References
- Singla M, Wang YX, Monti E, Bedi Y, Agarwal P, Su S, Ancel S, Hermsmeier M, Devisetti N, Pandey A, Bakooshli MA, Palla AR, Goodman S, Blau HM, Bhutani N. Inhibition of 15-hydroxy prostaglandin dehydrogenase promotes cartilage regeneration. Science. 2026 Mar 5;391(6789):1053-62.
- Collins KH, Haugen IK, Neogi T, Guilak F. Osteoarthritis as a systemic disease. Nat Rev Rheumatol. 2026 Feb;22(2):105-17.
- He W, Ding F, Zhang L, Liu W. In situ osteogenic activation of mesenchymal stem cells by the blood clot biomimetic mechanical microenvironment. Nat Commun. 2025 Jan 30;16(1):1162.
- Bensa A, Previtali D, Sangiorgio A, Boffa A, Salerno M, Filardo G. PRP injections for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: the improvement is clinically significant and influenced by platelet concentration: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Am J Sports Med. 2025 Mar;53(3):745-54.
- Sporn K, Kumar R, Paladugu P, Ong J, Sekhar T, Vaja S, Hage T, Waisberg E, Gowda C, Jagadeesan R, Zaman N, Tavakkoli A. Artificial intelligence in orthopedic medical education: a comprehensive review of emerging technologies and their applications. Int Med Educ. 2025 Apr 30;4(2):14.