Summary
The repair of articular cartilage following papain injection into the knee joint of the guinea pig was studied by light and electron microscopy, as well as by autoradiography using tritiated thymidine. Papain injection rapidly produced complete degradation of cartilage proteoglycan. Although a number of chondrocytes were also destroyed, the remaining chondrocytes showed mitotic cell division with resultant formation of cell clusters. Such chondrocytic regeneration, however, did not contribute significantly to the repair of cartilage tissue. On the other hand, mesenchymal cells proliferated from the transition zone and extended over the surface of the damaged cartilage. At the peripheral portion of the articular surface, they migrated and differentiated into chondrocytes with the formation of abundant intercellular matrix to produce hyaline cartilage.
From these findings, it was apparent that mesenchymal cells in the transition zone were actively engaged in the repair of articular cartilage.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Baker B, Becker RO, Joseph S (1974) A study of electrochemical enhancement of articular cartilage repair. Clin Orthop 102:251–267
Bennett GA, Bauer W, Maddock SJ (1932) A study of the repair of articular cartilage and the reaction of normal joints of adult dogs to surgically created defects of articular cartilage, “joint-mice” and patellar displacement. Am J Pathol 8:499–523
Bentley G (1971) Papain-induced degenerative arthritis of the hip in rabbits. J Bone Joint Surg 53 B:324–337
Calandruccio RA, Gilmer WS (1962) Proliferation, regeneration, and repair of articular cartilage of immature animals. J Bone Joint Surg 44 A:431–455
Campbell WG Jr, Callahan BC (1971) Regeneration of synovium of rabbit knees after total chemical synovectomy by ingrowth of connective tissue-forming elements from adjacent bone. A light and electron microscopic study. Lab Invest 24:404–422
Convery FR, Akeson WH, Keown GH (1972) The repair of large osteochondral defects. An experimental study in horses. Clin Orthop 82:253–262
Dekel S, Weissman SL (1978) Joint changes after overuse and peak overloading of rabbit knees in vivo. Acta Orthop Scand 49:519–528
Engkvist O, Wilander E (1979) Formation of cartilage from rib perichondrium grafted to an articular defect in the femur condyle of the rabbit. Scan J Plast Reconstr Surg 13:371–376
Farkas T, Bihari-Varga M, Biró T (1974) Thermoanalytical and histological study of intraarticular papain-induced degeneration and repair of rabbit cartilage. I. Immature animals. Ann Rheum Dis 33:385–390
Farkas T, Bihari-Varga M, Biró T (1976) Thermoanalytical and histological study of intraarticular papain-induced degeneration and repair of rabbit cartilage. II. Mature animals. Ann Rheum Dis 35:23–26
Fisher AGT (1923) Some researches into the physiological principles underlying the treatment of injuries and diseases of the articulations. Lancet 2:541–548
Fuller JA, Ghadially FN (1972) Ultrastructural observations surgically produced partial thickness defects in articular cartilage. Clin Orthop 86:193–205
Ghadially FN, Fuller JA, Kirkaldy-Willis WH (1971) Ultrastructure of full-thickness defects in articular cartilage. Arch Pathol 92:356–369
Havdrup T, Telhag H (1977) Papain-induced changes in the knee joints of adult rabbits. Acta Orthop Scand 48:143–149
Hjertquist SO, Lemperg R (1971) Histological, autoradiographic and microchemical studies of spontaneously healing of osteochondral articular defects in adult rabbits. Calcif Tissue Res 8:54–72
Hulth A, Lindberg L, Telhag H (1972) Mitosis in human osteoarthritic cartilage. Clin Orthop 84:197–199
Luft JH (1971) Ruthenium red and violet. I. Chemistry, purification, methods of use for electron microscopy and mechanism of action. Anat Rec 171:347–368
Mankin HJ, Lippiello L (1970) Biochemical and metabolic abnormalities in articular cartilage from osteo-arthritic human hips. J Bone Joint Surg 52 A:424–434
Meachim G (1963) The effect of scarification of articular cartilage in the rabbit. J Bone Joint Surg 45 B: 150–161
Meachim G, Robbert C (1971) Repair of the joint surface from subarticular tissue in the rabbit knee. J Anat 109:317–327
Mitrovic DR, Garcia F, Front P, Guillermet V (1985) Histological and cellular changes induced in the rabbit knee joint by an intraarticular implantation of a sheet of polyethylene. Lab Invest 53:228–239
Murray DG (1964) Experimentally induced arthritis using intraarticular papain. Arthritis Rheum 7:211–219
Öberg T, Fajers CM, Lokmander S, Friberg U (1967) Autoradiographic studies with H3-thymidine on cell proliferation and differentiation in the mandibular joint of young guinea pig. Odontol Revy 18:327–342
Okada Y, Nakanishi I, Kajikawa K (1984) Repair of the mouse synovial membrane after chemical synovectomy with osmium tetroxide. Acta Pathol Jpn 34:705–714
Radin EL, Ehrlich MG, Chernack R, Abernethy P, Paul IL, Rose RM (1978) Effect of repetitive impulsive loading on the knee joints of rabbits. Clin Orthop 131:288–293
Salter RB, Simmonds DF, Malcolm BW, Rumble EJ, MacMichael D, Clements ND (1980) The biological effect of continuous passive motion on the healing of full-thickness defects in articular cartilage. An experimental investigation in the rabbit. J Bone Joint Surg 62 A:1232–1251
Scheck M, Parker J, Sakovich L (1975) The fine structure of proliferating cartilage cells: structural changes in an experimental model. J Anat 119:435–452
Scheck M, Sakovich L (1972) Degenerative joint disease of the canine hip. Experimental production by multiple papain and prednisone injections. Clin Orthop 86:115–120
Telhag H (1972) Mitosis of chondrocytes in experimental “osteoarthritis” in rabbits. Clin Orthop 86:224–229
Tonna EA (1961) The cellular component of the skeletal system studied autoradiographically with tritiated thymidine (3H-TDR) during growth and aging. J Biophys Biochem Cytol 9:813–824
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Moriizumi, T., Yamashita, N. & Okada, Y. Papain-induced changes in the guinea pig knee joint with special reference to cartilage healing. Virchows Archiv B Cell Pathol 51, 461–474 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02899052
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02899052