Abstract: Provided are populations of cells enriched for MSC-derived cells that are: CD90+; CD105+; CD45?; as well as TIMP-1 secretion high, and MMP13 gene expression low. Such populations of cells are useful as medicaments in contexts where it is desired to make use of the trophic or immunosuppressive therapeutic effects of MSCs, but to avoid activity associated with the capacity of MSCs to undergo phenotypic differentiation. Populations of cells of the invention are useful in the treatment of a condition selected from the group consisting of: osteoarthritis; myocardial infarction; meniscus cartilage injury (such as torn meniscus); ligament injury (such as torn ligament); injuries to the skin; and soft tissue injury. They may also be used in treatment of a disease selected from the group consisting of: haematological disease; graft-versus-host disease; and inflammatory disease.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for detecting cartilage degradation in a biological sample by identifying the presence of unwound type II collagen in the biological sample, said method comprising:contacting the biological sample with a monoclonal antibody which does not bind to native helical collagen but which does bind to an epitope on unwound type II collagen chains or fragments thereof, wherein said epitope has the following sequence (SEQ ID NO: 4):A-P(OH)-G-E-D-G-R-P(OH)-G-P-P(OH)-G-P; anddetecting the presence of the bound monoclonal antibody.