Quintero M, Mitrovic D R, Stankovic A, de Sèze S, Miravet L, Ryckewaert A
Rev Rhum Mal Osteoartic. 1984 Jul-Sep;51(7-8):375-9.
The authors studied the cellular density of articular cartilage taken from the femoral condyles of 77 autopsy subjects at Hôpital Lariboisière in Paris. This study showed a decrease in the cellular density (number of chondrocytes per mm2) going from the superficial zone towards the calcified zone of the cartilage in all layers, as a function of the age of the subjects. The decrease in cellular density is in the order of about 50% of the total chondrocyte number when subjects younger than 40 are compared with those older than 80. The demonstration of a regular increase in the number of empty lacunae per mm2 with the age of the subjects, i.e. lacunae without chondrocytes, suggest that the cause of this decrease in cellular density of the cartilage with age could be a physiological necrosis due to "exhaustion" of the chondrocytes. The metabolic activity of the chondrocytes may also decrease with age, as suggested by the increasing proportion of alcianophobic cells, cells which are weakly or not at all labeled by radioactive sulfates which indicate the sites of biosynthesis of proteoglycans. These cellular modifications could play a role of senile fibrillation of articular cartilage and in arthrosis.
作者研究了取自巴黎拉里博瓦西埃医院77例尸检对象股骨髁的关节软骨细胞密度。该研究表明，在所有层中，随着受试者年龄的增长，从软骨的表层向钙化层，细胞密度（每平方毫米软骨细胞数量）呈下降趋势。与80岁以上的受试者相比，40岁以下的受试者细胞密度下降幅度约为软骨细胞总数的50%。每平方毫米空陷窝数量随受试者年龄呈规律性增加，即无软骨细胞的陷窝，这表明软骨细胞密度随年龄下降的原因可能是软骨细胞“耗尽”导致的生理性坏死。软骨细胞的代谢活性也可能随年龄降低，这一点可从厌阿尔辛蓝细胞比例增加得到提示，厌阿尔辛蓝细胞是指被放射性硫酸盐标记较弱或根本未被标记的细胞，而放射性硫酸盐可指示蛋白聚糖的生物合成部位。这些细胞变化可能在关节软骨的老年性纤维化和关节病中起作用。
