Epiphyseal growth and osteoarthrosis in blotchy mice.

Blotchy mice which carry a gene causing inadequate cross-linking of collagen were investigated for the progress of epiphyseal growth and for the appearance of changes in the knee joints following cessation of growth. In male mice of the strain, which are hemizygous for the gene, early growth proceeded in a histologically normal fashion, although the metaphyseal bone was less abundant than usual. From the age of 3 1/2 months on, the animals developed osteoarthrosis of the knee joints and at the time of death at 5-6 1/2 months of age, 88% of the animals had osteoarthrosis. The findings are discussed with special reference to a possible role of the collagen of the articular cartilage in the pathogenesis of some forms of osteoarthrosis.