Scientists at UF Scripps Biomedical have described a specific protein that manages activities within chondrocytes, a critical cell type that maintains healthy cartilage in joints. As people age and stress their joints, their chondrocytes begin to fail. The UF Scripps team found that activating a specific protein in these cells called RORβ (beta) could restore multiple factors needed for smooth joints to healthier levels, helping to control inflammation.
