Silk-based scaffold regenerates knee cartilage in rat osteoarthritis model

Researchers developed a silk-protein–gelatine 3D scaffold chemically modified to block bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling while enabling WNT/β-catenin pathways. Implanted into rat knee cartilage defects, the scaffold supported new cartilage formation expressing cartilage-specific collagen, with minimal inflammation and a tissue structure closely resembling natural cartilage, offering a potential approach for osteoarthritis treatment.