New Model for Assessing Cartilage Repair and Protection

描述(申请人提供)：各种方式，从软骨移植到药物，已经显示出相当大的希望作为改变骨性关节炎进展的方法。这导致了 对评估早期骨关节炎软骨的方法的高度兴趣 人类和动物都发生了变化。这项建议的目的是 改进现有动物模型以评估设计用于治疗的 治疗骨关节软骨炎。 具体地说，这项工作的假设是光学相干层析成像 (OCT)，当与兔和大鼠骨关节炎模型结合时，将 在潜在疗法的评估方面显示出独特的优势。 该计划是两国之间正在进行的合作的延续 布里格姆女子医院和国王学院的调查人员。它是 假设拟议的模型除了增加关于 治疗学的功效，将减少需要 牺牲的组织数量，需要处理的组织的数量，以及 需要治疗学。此外，技术进步可以直接 转移到活体人体应用中。这项提议的假设将 通过技术开发和动物研究进行测试。具体内容 目的是：目的1.构造一种恒速偏振旋转器 OCT系统。目标2.开发一种OCT关节镜，能够访问 通过一根20号针连接。瞄准。3.验证注册 基于关节镜的系统。目标4.OCT系统将在一只兔子身上进行测试 模特。目的5.研制一种能在大鼠模型上成像的导管。目标6.目标 OCT成像导管将在大鼠模型上进行测试。

DESCRIPTION (Provided by Applicant): A variety of modalities, ranging from cartilage transplant to pharmaceuticals, have demonstrated considerable promise as methods for altering the progression of osteoarthritis. This has resulted in heightened interest in methods for assessing early osteoarthritic cartilage changes both in humans and animals. The objective of this proposal is to improve current animal models for the evaluation of therapeutics designed to treat osteoarthritic cartilage. Specifically, the hypothesis of this work is that Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), when combine with rabbit and rat models of osteoarthritis, will demonstrate unique advantages for the evaluation of potential therapeutics. This program is a continuation of an ongoing collaboration between investigators at Brigham and Women's Hospital and King's College. It is postulated that the proposed model, in addition to increasing information on the efficacy of therapeutics, will reduce the number of animals that need to be sacrificed, the quantity of tissue requiring processing, and the amount of therapeutics required. Furthermore, technological advances can be directly transferred to in vivo human applications. The hypothesis of this proposal will be tested both through technology development and animal studies. The specifics aims are: Aim 1. To construct a constant velocity polarization rotator for the OCT system. Aim 2. To development an OCT arthroscope capable of accessing a joint through a 20 gauge needle. Aim. 3. To validate registration of the arthroscopic based system. Aim 4. The OCT system will be tested in a rabbit model. Aim 5. A catheter will be developed to image in a rat model. Aim 6. The OCT imaging catheter will be tested in a rat model.