Degeneration and Regeneration of Cartilage
Due to the fairly poor access of nutrients to the
chondrocytes they may atrophy in deep parts of thick cartilage. Water content
decreases and small cavities arise in the matrix, which often leads to the
calcification of the cartilage. This further compromises nutrition. The
chondrocytes may eventually die, and the cartilage is gradually transformed
into bone.
Chondrogenic activity of the perichondrium is
limited to the period of active growth before adulthood. Although chondrocytes
are able to produce matrix components throughout life, their production can not
keep pace with the repair requirements after acute damage to hyaline or
articular cartilage. If these cartilages are injured after the period of active
growth, the defects are usually filled by connective tissue or fibrous
cartilage. The extracellular matrix of these "repair tissues" is only
poorly integrated with the matrix of the damaged cartilage.
Fortunately, cartilage is rather well suited for
transplantation - the metabolism of the chondrocytes is rather slow, the
antigenic power of cartilage is low, and it is difficult, if not impossible,
for antibodies or cells of the immune system to diffuse through the matrix into
the cartilage.
![thumbnail]( "Degeneration and Regeneration of Cartilage")
Title:
Degeneration and Regeneration of Cartilage
by:
om
at
2013-02-15T02:59:00+07:00
Rating: 4.8
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Degeneration and Regeneration of Cartilage