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Transplantation of autologous costal cartilage to an osteochondral defect on the femoral head

Histological and autoradiographical studies in adult rabbits after administration of 35S-sulphate and 3H-thymidine

Transplantation von autologem Rippenknorpel in einen osteochondralen Defekt auf dem Hüftgelenkskopf

Eine histologische und autoradiographische Studie nach Zufuhr von 35S-Sulfat und 3H-Thymidine, ausgeführt an erwachsenen Kaninchen

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Zusammenfassung

Am Hüftgelenkskopf von erwachsenen Kaninchen wurde ein 3×4×3 mm großer osteochondraler Defekt geschaffen. In diesen wurden (A) autologer Rippenknorpel, welcher zuerst während 4–5 Wochen intramuskulär implantiert war (18 Tiere), und (B) frischer autologer Rippenknorpel (17 Tiere), transplantiert. An 7 verschiedenen Beobachtungszeitpunkten zwischen 1–46 Wochen wurden die Tiere getötet. Der Hüftgelenkskopf wurde in 35S-Sulfat oder 3H-Thymidine in vitro inkubiert und histologisch und autoradiografisch untersucht.

In 34 der 35 Präparate beider Versuchsgruppen und an allen Beobachtungszeitpunkten lag das Transplantationsgebiet im gleichen Niveau wie der übrige Gelenkknorpel.

Die histologische und autoradiographische Untersuchung zeigte eine Vereinigung des Transplantatknorpels mit dem Gelenkknorpel durch jungen, hyalinen Knorpel, mit hohem 35S-Sulfat-Einbau, an allen Beobachtungszeiten von 4 Wochen aufwärts, in 13 der 14 Fälle der Gruppe A und in 12 der 13 Fälle in Gruppe B. Nach Versuchszeiten von 1 und 2 Wochen wurde junger, reifer Knorpel zwischen Transplantat und Gelenkknorpel in 2 der 4 Fälle der Gruppe A, aber in keinem der 4 Fälle in Gruppe B beobachtet. Unreifer Knorpel kam in 3 der 4 Fälle in Gruppe A und in 1 der 4 der Gruppe B vor.

Die Gelenkfläche des Transplantationsgebietes bestand zum überwiegenden Teil aus jungem, reifen Knorpel in 16 der 18 Fälle der Gruppe A (an allen Beobachtungszeitpunkten) und in 11 der 17 Fälle der Gruppe B (an allen Beobachtungszeiten von 4 Wochen aufwärts). Dieser junge Knorpel zeigte hohe 35S-Sulfat-Aufnahme und enthielt 3H-Thymidin-markierte Chondrocyten. In beiden Untersuchungsgruppen zeigten, nach Versuchszeiten von 8 Wochen aufwärts, die Chondrocyten dieses jungen Knorpels eine Tendenz, sich in Reihen senkrecht zur Gelenkfläche anzuordnen. Die Schichten nächst der Gelenkfläche zeigten eine mehr tangentiale Zellanordnung.

Die Transplantate trugen wahrscheinlich aktiv zur Wiederherstellung der Gelenkfläche des Defektgebietes und zur knorpeligen Vereinigung von Transplantat und Gelenkknorpel mit lebendem, hyalinem Knorpel bei. Auch örtliches Gewebe, aus dem subchondralen Knochengebiet, dürfte bis zu einem gewissen Teil zu dieser Wiederherstellung beigetragen haben.

Summary

(A) Autologous costal cartilage which had first been implanted intramuscularly for 4–5 weeks (18 animals) and (B) fresh autologous costal cartilage (17 animals) were transplanted to an osteochondral defect, measuring 3×4×3 mm, on the femoral head in adult rabbits. After 7 different observation times between 1 and 46 weeks the animals were killed. The femoral head was incubated in 35S-sulphate or 3H-thymidine in vitro and examined histologically and autoradiographically.

In 34 of the 35 preparations from the two experimental groups, and at all observation times, the transplant area lay at a level with the remaining articular surface. Both histological and autoradiographical examination revealed union of the transplant with the articular cartilage via young hyaline cartilage, with a high 35S-sulphate uptake, at observation times from 4 weeks onwards, in 13 out of 14 cases in group A and in 12 out of 13 cases in group B. At observation times of 1 and 2 weeks, young mature cartilage was found between the transplant and articular cartilage in 2 out of 4 cases in group A and in no cases in group B. Immature cartilage occurred in 3 out 4 cases in group A and in 1 out of 4 in group B.

The articular surface in the transplant area consisted to the greatest part of young mature cartilage in 16 of the 18 cases in group A (all observation times) and in 11 of the 17 cases in group B (at all observation times from 4 weeks onwards). This young cartilage showed a high 35S-sulphate uptake and contained 3H-thymidine labelled chondrocytes. At observation times from 8 weeks onwards the chondrocytes in this young cartilage in both experimental groups showed a tendency to a columnar arrangement oriented at right angles to the articular surface, and the layer of cells nearest to the articular surface were arranged tangentially to the joint cavity.

The transplants probably contributed actively to the cartilaginous union between the transplant and the articular cartilage and to restitution of the articular surface in the defect area with viable hyaline cartilage. Local tissue from the subchondral bone area also appeared to have contributed to some extent.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Pathology, University of Uppsala, Sweden

    Sven-Olof Hjertquist & Rudolf Lemperg

  2. the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Umeå, Sweden

    Sven-Olof Hjertquist & Rudolf Lemperg

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  1. Sven-Olof Hjertquist
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  2. Rudolf Lemperg
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Hjertquist, SO., Lemperg, R. Transplantation of autologous costal cartilage to an osteochondral defect on the femoral head. Virchows Arch. Abt. A Path. Anat. 346, 345–360 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00542711

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