Gene Transfer Approaches to the Healing of Bone and Cartilage

Gene therapy is traditionally considered a treatment modality for genetic diseases and a limited number of complex, life-threatening disorders, such as cancer. However, gene therapy also holds promise as a novel means of treating more mundane conditions, including broken bones and damaged cartilages [1–3]. These injuries frequently present enormous clinical challenges to both orthopedic surgeons and rheumatologists, and can result in considerable human suffering and economic loss.