Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Benefits for arthritis patients foreseen

Updated at 6:19 pm on 30 July 2010

Researchers in the United States have developed a technique that might enable doctors to re-grow broken or diseased joints in patients.

Writing in The Lancet medical journal, the scientists from Columbia University say they have re-grown the forelimb thigh joint of rabbits from the animals' own stem cells.

The rabbits regrew bone and cartilage in four weeks and regained normal movement.

The researchers hope the technique will eventually benefit patients with advanced arthritis.

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