MiR-138-5p is a microRNA that plays an important regulatory role in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis.MiR-138-5p regulates various biological processes, including inflammation, cell apoptosis and proliferation, and matrix degradation in osteoarthritis, by modulating signaling pathways including nuclear factor-κB, Wnt / β-catenin, and phosphoinositide 3-kinase / AKT. This review summarizes the research progress regarding the mechanism of miR-138-5p in osteoarthritis.