Background
Osteoarthritis (OA) is characterized by cartilage damage and loss, synovial membrane inflammation, and bone sclerosis and the formation of osteophytes. Bone sclerosis in OA is due to an abundant osteoid matrix that does not mineralize normally. The mechanism(s) responsible for this abnormal mineralization remain unknown. Here, we studied the link between the mineralization profile of normal and OA osteoblasts (Ob) in primary culture and the mechanisms responsible for this abnormal sclerosis.