Biomaterial Database

The ultrastructure of osteochondrosis of the articular-epiphyseal cartilage complex in growing swine. 1986

C S Carlson, and H D Hilley, and C K Henrikson, and D J Meuten

Osteochondrosis of the articular-epiphyseal cartilage complex (A-E complex) is a significant clinical disease in swine. It has been suggested that osteochondrosis is the underlying cause of osteochondritis dissecans in humans. The purpose of this investigation was to characterize the ultrastructural changes in the earliest macroscopically visible lesion of the epiphyseal cartilage in osteochondrosis of the A-E complex in swine. Osteochondritic epiphyseal cartilage from the distal femora and humeri of growing crossbred boars was collected, embedded in plastic, and studied light and electron microscopically. The predominant lesion was chondronecrosis, characterized by chondrocyte death and loss of matrical proteoglycan. Transition from normal to abnormal cartilage was abrupt. Lipid accumulated in chondrocytes within and adjacent to lesions, but not in chondrocytes distant from lesions. Intracellular lipid accumulation was an important feature of the lesion and may play a role in its initiation. It is hypothesized that intracellular lipid accumulation results from hypoxia/anoxia and may precede matrix degeneration, which precedes cell death.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008854	Microscopy, Electron	Microscopy using an electron beam, instead of light, to visualize the sample, thereby allowing much greater magnification. The interactions of ELECTRONS with specimens are used to provide information about the fine structure of that specimen. In TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY the reactions of the electrons that are transmitted through the specimen are imaged. In SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY an electron beam falls at a non-normal angle on the specimen and the image is derived from the reactions occurring above the plane of the specimen.	Electron Microscopy
D010007	Osteochondritis	Inflammation of a bone and its overlaying CARTILAGE.	Meniscitis,Meniscitides,Osteochondritides
D002358	Cartilage, Articular	A protective layer of firm, flexible cartilage over the articulating ends of bones. It provides a smooth surface for joint movement, protecting the ends of long bones from wear at points of contact.	Articular Cartilage,Articular Cartilages,Cartilages, Articular
D004195	Disease Models, Animal	Naturally-occurring or experimentally-induced animal diseases with pathological processes analogous to human diseases.	Animal Disease Model,Animal Disease Models,Disease Model, Animal
D004838	Epiphyses	The head of a long bone that is separated from the shaft by the epiphyseal plate until bone growth stops. At that time, the plate disappears and the head and shaft are united.	Epiphysis
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013552	Swine	Any of various animals that constitute the family Suidae and comprise stout-bodied, short-legged omnivorous mammals with thick skin, usually covered with coarse bristles, a rather long mobile snout, and small tail. Included are the genera Babyrousa, Phacochoerus (wart hogs), and Sus, the latter containing the domestic pig (see SUS SCROFA).	Phacochoerus,Pigs,Suidae,Warthogs,Wart Hogs,Hog, Wart,Hogs, Wart,Wart Hog
D013553	Swine Diseases	Diseases of domestic swine and of the wild boar of the genus Sus.	Disease, Swine,Diseases, Swine,Swine Disease