Unique Features

  • Animal Models of Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis
  • Easy, non-invasive quantification of cartilage degradation
  • Strong association to indexes of joint damage, e.g. cartilage erosion
  • Demonstration of Chondroprotective Effect of Drugs
  • Rapid response to chondroprotective drugs (within 1-2 weeks)
  • Early response in CTX-II is highly correlated to histological endpoints3
  • CTX-II can be quantified in relevant cartilage explant culture supernatant human origin and animal models
  • CTX-II is elevated in both RA and OA rat models
  • CTX-II levels are associated with disease activity in RA and OA, primarily indexes of structural damage2
  • Useful for dynamic monitoring of cartilage in multiple species
  • A complete assay panel supporting bone and cartilage research

The Serum Pre-Clinical CartiLaps® (CTX-II) ELISA detects degradation products of C-terminal telopeptides of type II collagen (CTX-II) in animal serum. The test is intended for research use only, not for use in diagnostic procedures.

Disruption of the structural integrity of cartilage is the major histological finding in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Type II collagen is the major organic constituent of cartilage and fragments of type II collagen (CTX-II) are being released into circulation and subsequently secreted into urine following degradation of cartilage.

In non-human serum, the CTX-II fragments can be quantified by Serum Pre-Clinical CartiLaps® (CTX-II) ELISA. The Serum Pre-Clinical CartiLaps® (CTX-II) ELISA has been reported to be useful for rat, mice, rabbit, dog, guinea pig and cynomolgus monkey and horse specimens1.

Schaller S et al., In vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo methodological approaches for studying therapeutic targets of osteoporosis and degenerative joint diseases: how biomarkers can assist? Assay Drug Dev Technol. 2005 Oct;3(5):553-80.

Oestergaard S et al., The utility of measuring C-terminal telopeptides of collagen type II (CTX-II) in serum and synovial fluid samples for estimation of articular cartilage status in experimental models of destructive joint diseases. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2006 Jul;14(7):670-9.

Nielsen RH et al., Oral salmon calcitonin reduces cartilage and bone pathology in an osteoarthritis rat model with increased subchondral bone turnover. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2011 Apr;19(4):466-73.