Influences of Joint Immobilization and Running Exercise on Articular Cartilage Surfaces of Young Rabbits

Jurvelin, J.; Helminen, Heikki J.; Lauritsalo, Seppo; Kiviranta, Ilkka; Säämänen, Anna‐Marja; Paukkonen, Kari; Tammi, Markku

doi:10.1159/000145984

Cited by 35 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 8 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…However, our data justify an alternative interpretation, i.e., that exercise maintains the proteoglycan content of the matrix, since a lack of exercise was associated with decreased proteoglycan content compared with younger control animals. This result is consistent with the findings of immobilization studies in which proteoglycan loss was associated with lack of joint usage (6,8,9).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Exercise protects against articular cartilage degeneration in the hamster

Otterness

Eskra

Bliven

et al. 1998

Arthritis & Rheumatism

118

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Objective. It has been reported that osteoarthritis can occur in hamsters. The present study was undertaken to determine the effects of exercise on the composition of articular cartilage and synovial fluid and on the development of cartilage degeneration in these animals.Methods. Young (2.5-month-old) group-housed hamsters were compared with 5.5-month-old hamsters that had undergone 3 months of daily wheel running exercise (6-12 km/day) or 3 months of sedentary, individually housed living. The condition of the femoral condyles was determined by scanning electron microscopy in 12 exercising hamsters, 12 sedentary hamsters, and 6 of the young controls. The content of proteoglycan, hyaluronic acid, hydroxyproline, and proline in synovial fluid and patellar cartilage was measured.Results. By scanning electron microscopy, the femoral articular cartilage was smooth and undulating in young controls and older exercising hamsters. In contrast, the femoral condyles were fibrillated in all 12 of the sedentary hamsters. There was no difference in the patellar cartilage collagen content between the 3 groups, but proteoglycan content and synthesis were lower in the patellar cartilage of the sedentary group. Synovial fluid volume was also decreased in the sedentary group compared with the young controls or the older exercising hamsters.Conclusion. A sedentary lifestyle in the hamster leads to a lower proteoglycan content in the cartilage and a lower synovial fluid volume. These changes are associated with cartilage fibrillation, pitting, and fissur-

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

“…This has been called disuse atrophy (1). Cartilage degeneration ensues if the immobilization is maintained for too long or is carried out under static compression (2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Exercise protects against articular cartilage degeneration in the hamster

Otterness

Eskra

Bliven

et al. 1998

Arthritis & Rheumatism

118

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Current knowledge of these larger irregularities has been thoroughly reviewed by Gardner & McGillivray (1971) and, more recently, by Bloebaum & Radley (1995). A second type of roughness includes much smaller irregularities visible by TEM at magnifications between 5000 and 60 000 times (Silberberg et al 1961 ;Barnett et al 1963 ;Weiss et al 1968 ;Bullough & Goodfellow, 1971 ;Stanescu & Leibovitch, 1982 ;Jurvelin et al 1985 ;Laver-Rudich & Silbermann, 1985 ;Orford & Gardner, 1985). At these magnifications, the surface usually appears rough and this roughness increases with age and\or degeneration.…”

Section: mentioning

confidence: 99%

The surface contour of articular cartilage in an intact, loaded joint

et al. 1999

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The friction coefficients measured in diarthrodial joints are small. Theories of joint lubrication attribute this efficiency to entrapment or movement of synovial fluid, yet anatomical models of the surface are based on studies of isolated fragments of cartilage, not functional joints. To investigate the functional interrelationship of joint surfaces and synovial fluid, the ultrastructure of loaded joints was examined. Twenty-four New Zealand white rabbit knee joints were loaded either statically or moved ex vivo using simulated muscle forces and then plunge-frozen under load. After fixation in the frozen\loaded state by freeze-substitution fixation, the medial joint compartments were embedded in epoxy resin while still articulated. Bone was trimmed away from the articular surfaces, permitting the cartilage to be sectioned for light and electron microscopy. These joint surfaces were then compared with controls which were not loaded, not moved or had been disarticulated prior to embedding. Articular surfaces of loaded joints were smooth at magnifications from i35 to i7500, whereas the tibial surfaces of nonloaded joints were irregular. Small pools of joint fluid were observed at the meniscal edge and beneath the anterior horn of the meniscus. At magnifications of i40 000, the joint surfaces were separated by a uniform 100 nm space containing fluid. An amorphous, electron dense articular surface lamina was present but, when loaded, was thicker and flatter than previously reported. No surface pits or bumps were visible in embedded, loaded joints. This is the first ultrastructural study of intact loaded joints. The findings suggest that fluid film lubrication is present in diarthrodial joints, but the fluid sequestration postulated in several models is not apparent.

show abstract

“…Joint immobility may be caused by cast immobilization (CI), external fixation, or after neurological paralysis. Variable and somewhat controversial morphological alterations in the knee joint components resulting from immobilization have been described, and the changes include, increased thickness and decreased area of elastic fibers of the joint capsule 1) , increased surface irregularity [2][3][4] , increased or decreased or unchanged thickness of cartilage [5][6][7][8] , decreased synovial intima length 9) , augmentation of levels of type I c o l l a g e n i n t h e s y n o v i a l i n t i m a 1 0 ) , s y n o v i o c y t e proliferation 11,12) and decreased cross-sectional areas of myocytes 13) .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Histopathological Changes in Knee Joint Components after Spinal Cord Injury in Rats

et al. 2012

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract.[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to examine the histopathological changes in knee joint components after spinal cord injury (SCI) in rats. [Subjects and Methods] Eighteen adult, nine-week-old female Wistar rats were used in this study. Nine experimental rats underwent a spinal cord transection at the level of Th8-9 and the other nine control rats were raised normally. The animals were assessed at 1, 2 and 4 weeks after surgery. Formalin fixed sections from knee joints were morphologically examined after hematoxylin and eosin staining. Alterations of knee joint components were evaluated at four regions: the synovial membrane within the posterior articular capsule region, the cartilage apposite the femur, the cartilage apposite the tibia, and the fat pad under the patellar ligament region.[Results] Dilatation and congestion of the microvasculature and lymphoid infiltration were observed in the synovial membrane in the SCI group. These findings are similar to those found in early osteoarthritis. The surface layer of the articular cartilage in the SCI group showed fibrous proliferation. [Conclusion] The histopathological changes appear not to be progressive and may be related to spasticity of the hindlimb or a disorder in the autonomic function.

show abstract

Influences of Joint Immobilization and Running Exercise on Articular Cartilage Surfaces of Young Rabbits

Cited by 35 publications

References 8 publications

Exercise protects against articular cartilage degeneration in the hamster

Exercise protects against articular cartilage degeneration in the hamster

The surface contour of articular cartilage in an intact, loaded joint

Histopathological Changes in Knee Joint Components after Spinal Cord Injury in Rats

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About