Researchers at the Keck School of Medicine have identified key cells in lizards that facilitate cartilage regeneration in their tails. This discovery could potentially lead to treatments for osteoarthritis, a degenerative disease that currently has no cure and affects 10% of Americans. Lizards are unique in their ability to regenerate cartilage that does not harden, making them the closest relatives to mammals that can regenerate. The researchers were able to induce cartilage regeneration in lizard limbs, and they hope to replicate these results in mammals, starting with mice. This research offers the potential for non-invasive procedures to regenerate joints in the future.

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