Next-Generation Joint-on-a-Chip: Toward Precision Mechanical Control in Multi-Tissue Systems

Osteoarthritis is among the leading causes of disability worldwide, and no pharmacological therapies currently exist to reverse its progression. This lack of therapies is primarily attributed to the inadequacies of conventional in vitro models of joint physiology and pathology, which significantly hinder advancements in disease mechanism research and drug development. As an emerging in vitro joint model, joint-on-a-chip (JoC) technology allows low-cost, efficient simulation of physiological and pathological joint activities, making it a focal point of current research. Cartilage, subchondral bone, and synovium are among the key tissues required for constructing in vitro joint models, with cartilage playing a…