Release of pyrophosphate by normal mammalian articular hyaline and fibrocartilage in organ culture.

Calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate crystals are found most frequently in fibrocartilaginous tissue and to a lesser extent in hyaline articular cartilage. Previous investigators found that pyrophosphate (PPi) was released into the medium by immature rabbit hyaline cartilage and osteoarthritic human cartilage in organ culture but not by normal human or mature rabbit cartilage. By employing a sensitive fluorometric assay for PPi and correcting for hydrolysis of PPi during the incubations, we detected PPi release by all normal mammalian cartilage studied. PPi release per mg wet weight of lapine and canine cartilage was paralleled by uronic acid production. Meniscal fibrocartilage, the most common site of calcium pyrophosphate deposits, also elaborate PPi.