[Morphology of articular cartilage in osteoarthrosis].

A combined histological, histochemical, histoenzymochemical and morphometric study of 42 articular cartilage samples from patients with different degrees of osteoarthrosis (OA) was made. Ten cartilages without pathology taken at autopsy were used as controls. A characteristic feature in case of cartilage destruction by OA is a progressive loss of glycosaminoglycans (GAG) from the matrix with its defibrination and uzur formation. Decrease in GAG content is associated with partial destruction of chondrocytes and the emergence of cellular clones reflecting reparative regeneration of the cartilage. However, even at the early OA stage the reparation is not adequate, as the GAG content in the matrix at the sites of chondrocyte proliferation remains decreased compared to the control age group.