[The cellularity of fibrillated articular cartilage. A comparative study of age-related and osteoarthrotic cartilage lesions from the human femoral head].

The cellularity of human femoral head cartilage has been studied in age-related and osteoarthrotic fibrillated samples and control intact samples. Age-related fibrillated cartilage shows a marked increase of the cell density which is directly related to the proliferation of cell clusters and to cartilage thinning. In osteoarthrotic cartilage lesions multicellular clusters are less frequent and cell density is decreased. A smooth aspect of the exposed cartilage surface and an increased subchondral bone mass are only found in osteoar/hrotic samples. The findings suggest that age-related and osteoarthrotic cartilage lesions are due to different mechanical stresses governing the cellularity of the tissue.