The Reactions of Articular Cartilage to Experimental Wounding: Role of Apoptosis

Objective: To determine the cellular and matrix responses to experimental wounding of articular cartilage.

Methods: Immature and mature bovine articular cartilage was used as an in vitro model system to study the cellular responses to cartilage wounding. Explant cultures were wounded centrally with a trephine and maintained for up to 10 days. TUNEL labeling together with ultrastructural analyses were used to assess the nature of the observed cell death. In vitro labeling with 3H-thymidine was used to detect cell proliferation, and 2 antibodies (COL2-3/4M and BC-13) were used to detect changes in matrix turnover.

Results: Cell death was observed as a response to wounding and was considered to be a combination of necrosis and apoptosis. In immature tissue, cell death was more pronounced, particularly in the articular surface region. Within the area of cell death, many cells that did not die subsequently underwent proliferation. The collagenous network showed evidence of denaturation in the area of the wound, but "aggrecanase" activity was not detected.

Conclusion: There are 2 contrasting, but related, responses to cartilage wounding--apoptosis and proliferation. In order to improve cartilage repair, future studies need to elucidate the regulatory mechanisms that determine these responses.