Ultrastructural alterations in glycosaminoglycans of dog femoral condylar cartilage after surgical division of an anterior cruciate ligament: a study with cupromeronic blue in a critical electrolyte concentration technique.

The cationic dye, cupromeronic blue, has been used in a critical electrolyte concentration technique to analyse the ultrastructural changes in cartilage matrix glycosaminoglycans which occur in the dog anterior cruciate ligament division model of osteoarthrosis. Amorphous material appearing at the articular surface of cartilage from the stifle joints of animals subjected to open surgical division of the anterior cruciate ligament has been shown not to comprise glycosaminoglycan. The nature of this material is unknown, but it appears to replace the surface lamina of normal cartilage. It may therefore affect the mechanical properties of the superficial cartilage. The pericellular matrix around single chondrocytes or separating pairs of chondrocytes becomes enriched with sulphated glycosaminoglycan as a response to ligament section. This material is thought to be newly synthesised and secreted and reflects the increased cellular activity resulting from surgically induced canine joint disease.