We investigated the clinical, arthroscopic and biomechanical outcome of transplanting autologous chondrocytes, cultured in atelocollagen gel, for the treatment of full-thickness defects of cartilage in 28 knees (26 patients) over a minimum period of 25 months. Transplantation eliminated locking of the knee and reduced pain and swelling in all patients. The mean Lysholm score improved significantly. Arthroscopic assessment indicated that 26 knees (93%) had a good or excellent outcome. There were few adverse features, except for marked hypertrophy of the graft in three knees, partial detachment of the periosteum in three and partial ossification of the graft in one. Biomechanical tests revealed that the transplants had acquired a hardness similar to that of the surrounding cartilage. We conclude that transplanting chondrocytes in a newly-formed matrix of atelocollagen gel can promote restoration of the articular cartilage of the knee

Twenty-five patients with 30 chondral lesions of the knee were treated with an autogenous strip of costal perichondrium. The graft was fixed to the subchondral bone with Tissucol (Immuno, Vienna), a human fibrin glue. The leg was then immobilised for two weeks followed by two weeks of continuous passive motion. Weight-bearing was permitted after three months. The mean knee score (Ranawat, Insall and Shine 1976) changed from 73 before operation to 90 one year after; in 14 patients evaluated after two years there was no decrease. In 28 cases the defect was completely filled with tissue resembling articular cartilage. We conclude that in most cases perichondral arthroplasty of cartilage defects of the knee gives excellent results

1. The source of nutrition of articular cartilage still remains a subject of controversy. 2. Experiments are described in which an attempt to demonstrate the direct transfer of fluid from the subchondral bone has been made using 355 and an autoradiographic technique. These experiments were based on ones originally performed by Ekholm (1951), except that two distinct groups of animals were used : immature rabbits and adult rabbits whose skeletons were mature. 3. The transfer of fluid to the cartilage could be demonstrated only in the immature rabbits. 4. It is suggested that some of the conflicting opinions which have been advanced on this subject stem from a failure to distinguish between mature and immature joint cartilage. Subchondral nutrition is a feature only of the immature animal

The management of failed autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) and matrix-assisted autologous chondrocyte implantation (MACI) for the treatment of symptomatic osteochondral defects in the knee represents a major challenge. Patients are young, active and usually unsuitable for prosthetic replacement. This study reports the results in patients who underwent revision cartilage transplantation of their original ACI/MACI graft for clinical or graft-related failure. We assessed 22 patients (12 men and 10 women) with a mean age of 37.4 years (18 to 48) at a mean of 5.4 years (1.3 to 10.9). The mean period between primary and revision grafting was 46.1 months (7 to 89). The mean defect size was 446.6 mm. 2. (150 to 875) and they were located on 11 medial and two lateral femoral condyles, eight patellae and one trochlea. . The mean modified Cincinnati knee score improved from 40.5 (16 to 77) pre-operatively to 64.9 (8 to 94) at their most recent review (p < 0.001). The visual analogue pain score improved from 6.1 (3 to 9) to 4.7 (0 to 10) (p = 0.042). A total of 14 patients (63%) reported an ‘excellent’ (n = 6) or ‘good’ (n = 8) clinical outcome, 5 ‘fair’ and one ‘poor’ outcome. Two patients underwent patellofemoral joint replacement. This study demonstrates that revision cartilage transplantation after primary ACI and MACI can yield acceptable functional results and continue to preserve the joint. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:54–8

We have compared the concentrations of stromal-cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1), matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1), MMP-9 and MMP-13 in serum before and after synovectomy or total knee replacement (TKR). We confirmed the presence of SDF-1 and its receptor CXCR4 in the synovium and articular cartilage by immunohistochemistry. We established chondrocytes by using mutant CXCR4 to block the release of MMPs. The level of SDF-1 was decreased 5.1- and 6.7-fold in the serum of patients with OA and RA respectively, after synovectomy compared with that before surgery. MMP-9 and MMP-13 were decreased in patients with OA and RA after synovectomy. We detected SDF-1 in the synovium and the bone marrow but not in cartilage. CXCR4 was detected in articular cartilage. SDF-1 increased the release of MMP-9 and MMP-13 from chondrocytes in a dose-dependent manner. The mutant CXCR4 blocked the release of MMP-9 and MMP-13 from chondrocytes by retrovirus vector. Synovectomy is effective in patients with OA or RA because SDF-1, which can regulate the release of MMP-9 and MMP-13 from articular chondrocytes for breakdown of cartilage, is removed by the operation

We report the experimental use of three different biological implants to restore articular surface defects: glutaraldehyde-fixed bovine meniscal xenograft, glutaraldehyde-fixed bovine costal cartilage xenograft, and viable osteochondral allografts. The grafts were implanted in the knees of 19 goats who were allowed free-field activity and were studied for up to one year. The natural articular surfaces of meniscal fibrocartilage provided excellent articular surfaces at all times. Equally good articular surfaces were restored by host tissue growth covering costal cartilage grafts at six months, but by 12 months this surface had degenerated. The majority of the allografts survived and integrated with the host at six months, but many showed signs of failure at 12 months. Only three out of seven ungrafted defects healed completely at six months and the healed surfaces were degenerating at 12 months

Allografts of intact cartilage, isolated chondrocytes and cultured chondrocytes taken from the epiphysial growth-plate and from the articular surface of immature rabbits were inserted into full thickness defects in the tibial articular surface of 160 mature rabbits. In the contralateral knees, which were used as controls, similar defects were made but no grafts were inserted. Grafts were followed up for periods of up to one year after transplantation. Both intact articular and intact growth-plate grafts produced significantly better repair than that seen in control ungrafted defects in normal joints (P less than 0.01 and P less than 0.05 respectively) and in arthritic joints (P less than 0.01). Cultured chondrocytes cut to a precise fit also produced significantly better repair than ungrafted defects in arthritic joints (P less than 0.05)

1. Human articular cartilage from normal femoral heads and from cases of osteoarthrosis in subjects of various ages has been examined histologically and by electron microscopy. 2. In specimens from middle-aged and old subjects, peculiar "matrix-streaks" have been observed in the deep zone of the pressure areas as oblique bands extending from the pericellubar halos into the adjacent matrix. 3. Ultrastructurally the streaks are correlated with an undulating pattern of the radially oriented collagen fibres. 4. The streaks are considered to result from a focal lack of acid mucopolysaccharide and from natural forces on the articular cartilage. Their appearance is assumed to be an early sign of cartilage disintegration associated with ageing

1. As previous experiments with autogenous transplantation of epiphysial growth plates have given limited success, a study was carried out on two groups of rabbits, one of which was given hyperbaric oxygen post-operatively in an attempt to improve the results. 2. Sixty-four New Zealand white rabbits had the distal ulnar growth plate transplanted from left to right and vice versa, giving a total of 128 transplants. 3. In the group of thirty-two rabbits given hyperbaric oxygen 48 per cent of the transplants were regarded as successful when examined histologically six weeks after operation, while in the control group the figure was 28 per cent. 4. This investigation suggests the clinical use of hyperbaric oxygen to improve the results of transplantation of growth cartilage

Construction of a functional skeleton is accomplished through co-ordination of the developmental processes of chondrogenesis, osteogenesis, and synovial joint formation. Infants whose movement in utero is reduced or restricted and who subsequently suffer from joint dysplasia (including joint contractures) and thin hypo-mineralised bones, demonstrate that embryonic movement is crucial for appropriate skeletogenesis. This has been confirmed in mouse, chick, and zebrafish animal models, where reduced or eliminated movement consistently yields similar malformations and which provide the possibility of experimentation to uncover the precise disturbances and the mechanisms by which movement impacts molecular regulation. Molecular genetic studies have shown the important roles played by cell communication signalling pathways, namely Wnt, Hedgehog, and transforming growth factor-beta/bone morphogenetic protein. These pathways regulate cell behaviours such as proliferation and differentiation to control maturation of the skeletal elements, and are affected when movement is altered. Cell contacts to the extra-cellular matrix as well as the cytoskeleton offer a means of mechanotransduction which could integrate mechanical cues with genetic regulation. Indeed, expression of cytoskeletal genes has been shown to be affected by immobilisation. In addition to furthering our understanding of a fundamental aspect of cell control and differentiation during development, research in this area is applicable to the engineering of stable skeletal tissues from stem cells, which relies on an understanding of developmental mechanisms including genetic and physical criteria. A deeper understanding of how movement affects skeletogenesis therefore has broader implications for regenerative therapeutics for injury or disease, as well as for optimisation of physical therapy regimes for individuals affected by skeletal abnormalities.

Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2015;4:105–116

A quantitative study of the vascularity and a qualitative study of the remodelling of the calcified cartilage and subchondral bone end-plate of adult human femoral and humeral heads were performed with respect to age. In the femoral head the number of vessels per unit area was found to fall 20% from adolescence until the seventh decade and in the humeral head 15% until the sixth decade. Thereafter an increase was noted in the femur but none in the humerus. More vessels were present at all ages in the more loaded areas of the articular surfaces: 25% more for the femur and 15% more for the humerus. The degree of active remodelling by endochondral ossification declined 50% from adolescence until the seventh decade in the femoral head, and 30% until the sixth decade in the humeral head, rising thereafter to levels comparable to those found at young ages. More remodeling was noted in the more loaded areas at all ages

1. It is suggested that slow recovery and post-operative effusion after meniscectomy may often be due to "scar friction" when the incision in the synovial membrane is in contact with the non-articular surface of the femoral condyle.

2. The advantages of a horizontal incision are discussed, particularly with regard to early recovery.

3. The results of one hundred and three cases of meniscectomy are analysed. An attempt to trace the cause of incompletely successful results in 25 per cent. of cases failed to show any relation to minor coincident lesions discovered at operation, or to the amount of meniscus removed.

We studied the ossific nuclei on radiographs of the feet of three stillborn infants, two with club feet, relating the size, position and alignment of each nucleus to the cartilaginous talus or calcaneum in which it lay. Anteroposterior projections of the nucleus of the talus show deformity of that bone as well as subtalar malalignment. Lateral projections of the calcaneal nucleus may underestimate the degree of hindfoot equinus.