Rheumatoid Arthritis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Rheumatoid Arthritis, including details on treatment, symptoms, causes, medication.

The fibroblast-like synovial cell in rheumatoid arthritis: a key player in inflammation and joint destruction.

Mor A, Abramson SB, Pillinger MH

Division of Rheumatology, NYU School of Medicine and The Hospital for Joint Disease, New York, NY 10003, USA.

Although multiple cell types are present in the rheumatoid joint, the fibroblast-like synovial cell (FLS) is among the most prominent. It is now appreciated that the FLS is not only space-filling, but is directly responsible for cartilage destruction, and also drives both inflammation and autoimmunity. In this article, we consider the normal role of the FLS in healthy joints, and review evidence that implicates the FLS as a central player in the propagation of rheumatoid arthritis.

Published 11 May 2005 in Clin Immunol, 115(2): 118-28.
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