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TUCSON - It's a medical breakthrough right here in Southern Arizona.
Doctors are re-growing cartilage, and say the secret is in our fat.
The cure for arthritis may have been on us all the time, literally.
Dr. John Szivek at the University of Arizona recently discovered how to grow cartilage from our fat cells.
He says, "The research has been so positive that we're now moving into trying to use human stem cells in a FDA approved environment."
The doctor, along with research students, are taking adult stem cells collected from fat tissue and then converting them to cells that grow cartilage tissue. This is creating a whole new hope for osteoarthritis sufferers.
Student Heather Waters says, "It's really exciting knowing that we're one step closer to actually being able to use this in humans."
Currently arthritis sufferers have few options. And none of them sound very good.
The patient can have complete joint replacement, which means they'll never be able to move the same, or do their favorite activities.
Or, doctors could grow cartilage from cartilage. The problem with that is, it takes a long time, is quite expensive and sometimes flat out doesn't work.
Dr. Szivek says, "If we can give patients back the cartilage they started with they could go back to activities and be healthier."
Since the cartilage would come from the patients own stem cells, their bodies will always accept it.
More tests need to be done. But the doctor says this could change arthritis forever, in as little as two years.