Movement and composition of interstitial fluid of cartilage

A method is described for determining the rate of mechanical expression and resorption of fluid from cartilage and for determining its composition. Human articular cartilage, unlike costal tissue, showed little change in its total or expressible fluid throughout life. The extruded material resembled synovial fluid except for its low protein content and viscosity. It is suggested that the expressed fluid was held osmotically in the ground substance.