A new treatment that blocks an aging-related protein restored lost cartilage in old mice and helped prevent arthritis after knee injuries. Human cartilage samples showed similar signs of regeneration, raising hopes for a future drug that could repair joints instead of replacing them.
I remember when I was a senior in high school back in the late 90s, my biology teacher mused one day that ours might be the first generation to not die of old age. I don’t know if I’m anywhere near as optimistic now as he was then, but it is incredibly exciting to think about. There have been a slew of discoveries over the past 20 years that have been building towards this, and it’s all been very fascinating. No idea if this is the grail or not, but it certainly seems like an important piece of the puzzle.