Quantitation of structural features characterizing weight‐ and less‐weight‐bearing regions in articular cartilage: A stereological analysis of medical femoral condyles in young adult rabbits

作者：Peter S. Eggli, Ernst B. Hunzinker, Robert Schenk · 发表于：The Anatomical Record · 年份：1988 · DOI：10.1002/ar.1092220302 · 被引用次数：188 · 研究领域：Osteoarthritis Treatment and Mechanisms、Veterinary Equine Medical Research、Proteins in Food Systems

The structural organization of articular cartilage from the medial femoral condyle of young adult rabbits has been examined after processing according to an improved fixation procedure. By using recently developed stereological methods, a quantitative analysis of chondrocyte number, surface area, volume, and matrix volume per cell was carried out in the light microscope; at the electron microscopic level, quantities of cytoplasmic components within chondrocytes (including organelles) were estimated. These measurements were made for each of the four zones from the (articular cartilage) surface down to the tidemark, and the results (for each zone) were compared between weight- and less-weight-bearing regions. In general, articular cartilage revealed considerable heterogeneity in structure throughout its depth. The number of cells per unit volume is maximal beneath the surface and decreases toward the tidemark. The size of chondrocytes, and the mean matrix volume surrounding each, increases from the surface toward the deeper zones. Comparison between weight- and less-weight-bearing regions reveals striking differences. The numerical volume density of cells in the superficial zone of regions bearing high physiological load is less than half of that in less-weight-bearing regions, chondrocyte death being principally responsible for this reduction. A comparison between the midzones of weight- and less-weight-bearing areas reveals that the former is characterized by a decrease in ce...