[Study of articular cartilage and the synovial membrane using IR spectroscopy].

The infrared spectra of normal knee joint cartilage, normal and rheumatoid arthritis-affected human synovial membrane and the same normal bovine tissues were obtained over the region of 400--4000 cm-1. A comparative analysis of the spectra of these tissues and those containing hyaluronate, protein-chondroitin-keratan sulfate aggregates of cartilage proteoglycans and heparin made it possible to identify greater absorption bands of these biopolymers in the tissue spectra. The interpretation of the results obtained is presented.