Standardizing single-cell approaches to osteoarthritis: Toward a comprehensive cellular atlas

Abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease marked by progressive cartilage degradation and complex cellular heterogeneity. In recent years, single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) has emerged as a powerful tool for dissecting the cellular composition of the osteoarthritic joint. However, constructing a complete and coherent picture of the OA single-cell landscape remains challenging, akin to assembling a puzzle from multiple sets, each with pieces of varying shapes and sizes. This editorial outlines the next steps in advancing single-cell research in OA, emphasizing the need for standardized cell type annotations and comprehensive, integrative access to both historical and newly generated datasets.