The viability of articular cartilage in fresh osteochondral allografts after clinical transplantation

J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1990 Apr;72(4):574-81.

Abstract

The articular cartilage of four fresh osteochondral allografts was biopsied after transplantation, and its viability was studied by autoradiography. The biopsy specimens were labeled with both 3H-cytidine, for newly synthesized ribonucleic acid, and 35S-sulphate, for newly synthesized proteoglycans. The cartilage of a lateral humeral condylar graft at twelve months had 96 to 99 per cent labeled chondrocytes, the articular cartilage of a medial femoral condylar graft at twenty-four months showed 69 to 78 per cent labeled chondrocytes, and the cartilage of a medial tibial-plateau graft at forty-one months had 90 per cent labeled cells. At six years, a lateral tibial-plateau graft had 37 per cent labeled chondrocytes.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Autoradiography
  • Cartilage, Articular / pathology
  • Cartilage, Articular / transplantation*
  • Cell Survival
  • Cytidine
  • Elbow Joint / diagnostic imaging
  • Elbow Joint / surgery*
  • Female
  • Graft Survival*
  • Humans
  • Knee Joint / diagnostic imaging
  • Knee Joint / surgery*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Radiography
  • Sulfates
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Sulfates
  • Cytidine