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Integrins belong to an evolutionary conserved family of adhesion molecules with important biological functions throughout the animal kingdom. They are heterodimeric glycoproteins involved in cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesion and communication. Physiologically they function as intra- and extracellular signalling molecules in a variety of processes including embryogenesis, hemostasis, tissue repair, immune response and metastatic spread of tumor cells. Integrin beta 1 (ß1-integrin) is a multi-functional member of the integrin superfamily and is an integral protein involved in cell-matrix adhesion, cell signalling, cellular defense, cell adhesion, protein binding, protein heterodimerization and receptor-mediated activity. The ß1-integrin family of cell surface receptors appears to play a major role in mediating cell-extracellular matrix interactions that are important in regulating these fundamental processes. ß1-integrins are important adhesion molecules that are highly expressed in articular chondrocytes where they bind to extracellular matrix molecules including fibronectin, laminin, and fibrillar collagens. In addition to mediating cell adhesion, members of the ß1 subfamily of integrins contribute to the organisation of the cytoskeleton and activate numerous intracellular signal transduction pathways. Recent studies from the authors' laboratory and from other leading groups have shown that ß1-integrins are essential for cell signalling and communication in chondrocytes. Furthermore, ß1-integrins function as mechanoreceptors in the chondrocyte mechanotransduction pathway. Their expression is therefore essential for maintaining the chondrocyte phenotype, preventing chondrocyte apoptosis and regulating chondrocyte-specific gene expression. This book volume summarizes the work that the authors have done on ß1-integrins over the last 18 years and focuses on the expression and regulation of these proteins in chondrocytes and their role in the context of the unique function of chondrocytes within articular cartilage.

Articular cartilage. --- Cartilage --- Joints --- Medicine. --- Biomedicine general. --- Clinical sciences --- Medical profession --- Human biology --- Life sciences --- Medical sciences --- Pathology --- Physicians --- Health Workforce --- Biomedicine, general. --- Medicine --- Biology --- Biomedical Research. --- Research. --- Biological research --- Biomedical research

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We live in a world with an ever-increasing aging population. This aging population is predicted to place a huge financial burden on healthcare systems around the world. Understanding healthy ageing is a key research priority, along with a better understanding of the pathophysiology of ageing that occurs in a number of age related diseases, such as arthritis. By gaining a better understanding of healthy musculoskeletal ageing we can provide better care and new therapies for common musculoskeletal problems. This Research Topic is intended to bring together basic researchers and clinicians working in the broad area of musculoskeletal ageing. The topic includes mechanisms of healthy ageing in the musculoskeletal system, which we define as skeletal muscle and the synovial joint, particularly constituent structures including articular cartilage, subchondral bone tendon and ligament. A particular focus of this Research Topic is dietary modulation of musculoskeletal ageing.

Physiology. --- Physiology, Pathological. --- Muscular system. --- articular cartilage --- Sarcopenia --- pathophysiology --- Proteomics --- Aging --- Chiropractic Treatment --- Physiology --- Musculoskeletal System --- skeletal muscle --- Osteoarthritis

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We live in a world with an ever-increasing aging population. This aging population is predicted to place a huge financial burden on healthcare systems around the world. Understanding healthy ageing is a key research priority, along with a better understanding of the pathophysiology of ageing that occurs in a number of age related diseases, such as arthritis. By gaining a better understanding of healthy musculoskeletal ageing we can provide better care and new therapies for common musculoskeletal problems. This Research Topic is intended to bring together basic researchers and clinicians working in the broad area of musculoskeletal ageing. The topic includes mechanisms of healthy ageing in the musculoskeletal system, which we define as skeletal muscle and the synovial joint, particularly constituent structures including articular cartilage, subchondral bone tendon and ligament. A particular focus of this Research Topic is dietary modulation of musculoskeletal ageing.

Physiology. --- Physiology, Pathological. --- Muscular system. --- articular cartilage --- Sarcopenia --- pathophysiology --- Proteomics --- Aging --- Chiropractic Treatment --- Physiology --- Musculoskeletal System --- skeletal muscle --- Osteoarthritis

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1 Introduction The provision of nutrients and oxygen to synovial joints is essential for the ph ysiological and load-bearing functions of articular cartilage and the hom- static control of metabolism within chondrocytes, its resident cells (Mobasheri et al. 2002c; Mobasheri et al. 2006). The transport of nutrients (i. e. , glucose, other h- ose and pentose sugars, amino acids, nucleotides, nucleosides and water soluble vitamins such as vitamin C) into articular chondrocytes is essential for the synt- sis of collagens, proteoglycans, and glycosaminoglycans by chondrocytes (Clark et al. 2002; Goggs et al. 2005; McNulty et al. 2005; Mobasheri et al. 2002a). There are numerous biological mechanisms by which nutritional factors might be expected to exert favorable influences on cartilage function and pathophysiological events in disease processes including osteoarthritis (McAlindon 2006). A decade ago, very l- tle was known about nutrient transport in chondrocytes, particularly the transport of glucose, related sugars, and water-soluble vitamins, which are essential for the synthesis of glycosaminoglycans by chondrocytes. Glucose is a crucial nutrient for cartilage function in vivo as it is for many other tissues and organs. However, it has always been assumed that glucose is important for the in vitro cultivation of chond- cytes, ex vivo maintenance of cartilage explants, and cartilage tissue engineering procedures.