Morphological changes in rabbit articular cartilage induced by joint contracture were studied by light and transmission electron microscopy. The knee joint was plaster-immobilized for 3-9 weeks in the flexion position. Three different age groups of rabbits were examined, i. e. at the age of 1 month (young),1 year (adult), and over 2.5 years (old).In the non-treated groups, the surface of the articular cartilage of the old rabbit was undulated and less smooth than that of the young rabbit. In the old rabbit, cell density of the articular cartilage reduced, and the filamentous-amorphous surface layer increased in thickness.In the plaster-immobilized groups, no significant change was noticed in the young rabbit. In the adult rabbit, on the other hand, remarkable changes in the articular surface, and the intercellular matrix occurred after 5-week-immobilization. In addition to those changes, chondrocytes were also affected in the 5-week-immobilized old rabbit. The damaged articular cartilage of the adult rabbit which had been immobilized for 3 weeks recovered, while the old rabbit did not.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Ohta et al. (1981) studied this question.