Menstrual Blood Repairs Cartilage in Osteoarthritis Tissue

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In a recent study published in Scientific Reports, researchers found that bioactive molecules from menstrual blood stem cells promoted cartilage regeneration in cultured cells and in human damaged cartilage samples, presenting a potential non-invasive treatment avenue for osteoarthritis.

Menstrual blood is rich in mesenchymal stromal cells, which are stem cells that can generate bone, cartilage, blood vessels, and lymphatics. “These cells are very active because they rebuild endometrial lining every month in women, so their activeness can also stimulate other tissue cells to regenerate."

Another advantage of menstrual blood is that researchers can obtain samples non-invasively, compared to sources like bone marrow that require invasive procedures. Importantly, menstrual blood samples can be obtained consensually, which bypasses ethical issues that stem cell researchers face while working with embryonic stem cells.

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