LOW-TEMPERATURE SCANNING ELECTRON-MICROSCOPY IN PATHOLOGY OF HUMAN OSTEOARTHROSIS

Low temperature scanning electron microscopy has been employed to demonstrate salient ultrastructural features of fully hydrated osteoarthrotic human articular cartilage obtained at total knee replacement. An ordered structure is described consisting of a shaft fibril with dependant close-packed parallel branch fibrils. The possible interrelationships are discussed of these and the classical architecture of articular cartilage determined by electron microscopy of dehydrated specimens. The newly-described structure may represent a modification of cartilage components brought about by the disease process.