Regulation of type II collagen gene expression using specific and selective electrical and electromagnetic signals

A method for treating at least one of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, cartilage injury, and/or cartilage defects, comprising the steps of:

• generating at least one specific and selective signal having a frequency from about 30 kHz to about 120 kHz that up-regulates when applied to a field generating device operatively disposed with respect to target cartilage tissue causes the generation of an electric field having an amplitude of about 0.2-4.0 mV/cm in the target cartilage tissue that is specific and selective for up-regulating the gene expression of type II collagen mRNA when said electric field is applied to the target cartilage tissue;
• and
• exposing the cartilage tissue to a specific and selective the electric field generated by the said field generating device upon the application of said at least one specific and selective signal thereto for a predetermined duration of time of about 1/2 to about 24 hours per 24 hour period at a predetermined intervals duty cycle from approximately 4.2%-100% so as to selectively up-regulate gene expression of type II collagen mRNA in the target cartilage tissue.

A method of up-regulating the gene expression of type II collagen mRNA in cartilage tissue, comprising the steps of:

• generating at least one specific and selective signal having a frequency of about 30 kHz to about 120 kHz that when applied to a field generating device operatively disposed with respect to the cartilage tissue causes the generation of an electric field having an amplitude of about 0.2-40 mV/cm in the cartilage tissue that is specific and selective for the up-regulation of the gene expression of type II collagen mRNA when said electric field is applied to the cartilage tissue containing said type II collagen mRNA;
• and
• exposing the cartilage tissue to the specific and selective electric field generated by said field generating device upon the application of said at least one specific and selective signal thereto for a predetermined duration of time of about 1/2 to about 24 hours per 24 hour period at a predetermined duty cycle from approximately 4.2%-100% so as to selectively up-regulate the gene expression of type II collagen mRNA in the cartilage tissue.