Researchers at Stanford Medicine have discovered that blocking a protein linked to aging can restore cartilage in aging and injured joints. The treatment, which targets a protein called 15-PGDH, has been shown to regrow cartilage and prevent arthritis in mice, and has also had positive results in human tissue samples. A pill-based version of the therapy is already being tested in clinical trials for treating muscle weakness associated with aging. The findings suggest that cartilage loss due to aging or injury may one day be reversible with a localized injection or oral medication.