Rabbit synovial tissue in culture: influence of the inflammatory state in vivo on the secretion of collagenase.

Primary rabbit adherent synovial cell monolayer cultures were prepared from animals with antigen-induced synovitis. Primary cultures derived from chronically inflamed tissues released elevated levels of collagenase into the culture media compared to cultures derived from either normal or acute inflammatory tissues. No active of latent collagenase activity was detected in media of cultures derived from normal tissues grown under identical conditions. Cultures of acute inflammatory tissues secreted 1/4 to 1/10 the amount of collagenase when compared to cultures from chronically inflamed tissues. Collagenase secreted by cultures from inflammatory tissues was detected only in latent form. Fetal bovine serum enhanced the trypsin activation of latent collagenase produced by these cultures.