[Pathomorphology of human arthroses].

The pathologic morphology of osteoarthrosis (arthrosis deformans) is illustrated macroscopically, histologically, and electron microscopically TEM and SEM). The morphologic hallmark of the lesions is the association of destructive and inadequate reparative processes in the articular cartilage and reactive bone growth, often leading to grotesque deformity of the joints with characteristic osteophytosis. The fundamental morphologic alterations involving chondrocytes and matrix are similar in all arthroses, irrespective of their topography.