WISP polypeptides and their therapeutic applications

A WISP-3 polypeptide for use in a method of treating cells or tissue of mammalian cartilage damage in a degenerative cartilagenous disorder, said method comprising contacting said cells or cartilage tissue with an effective amount of polypeptide W ISP-3, wherein the degenerative cartilaginous disorder is rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis.