Articular cartilage undergoes structural and biochemical changes during maturation, but the knowledge on how these changes relate to articular cartilage function at different stages of maturation is lacking. Equine articular cartilage samples of four different maturation levels (newborn, 5-month-old, 11-month-old and adult) were collected (N = 25). Biomechanical tensile testing, Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy (FTIR-MS) and polarized light microscopy were used to study the tensile, biochemical and structural properties of articular cartilage, respectively. The tensile modulus was highest and the breaking energy lowest in the newborn group. The collagen and the proteoglycan contents increased with age. The collagen orientation developed with age into an arcade-like orientation. The collagen content, proteoglycan content, and collagen orientation were important predictors of the tensile modulus (p < 0.05 in multivariable regression) and correlated significantly also with the breaking energy (p < 0.05 in multivariable regression). Partial least squares regression analysis of FTIR-MS data provided accurate predictions for the tensile modulus (r = 0.79) and the breaking energy (r = 0.65). To conclude, the composition and structure of equine articular cartilage undergoes changes with depth that alter functional properties during maturation, with the typical properties of mature tissue reached at the age of 5–11 months.

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IntroductionOne of the characteristics of early osteoarthritis (OA) is the loss of fixed charged density (FCD) of glycosaminoglycans in the superficial zone of articular cartilage. However, possible local changes in the FCD content of the pericellular matrix (PCM) are not fully understood. Hence, our aim was to investigate the effect of unilateral anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) in rabbit knees on estimated FCD in the PCM compared to that in the ECM, and relate these results with cell morphology.MethodsArticular cartilage samples were collected from ACLT, contralateral and intact control knee joints from lateral and medial femoral condyles and tibial plateaus, and from the femoral groove and patella. Histological samples were prepared and stained with Safranin-O to estimate the FCD content around the chondrocytes in the PCM and the ECM with digital densitometry.ResultsAs a result of ACLT, the greatest decreases in the FCD content of the PCM were observed in the superficial zone of the lateral femoral condyle (p = 0.02), medial tibial plateau (p = 0.002) and patellar (p < 0.001) cartilage. The normalized FCD content of the PCM compared to the surrounding ECM was increased most in the femoral condyles (p < 0.01) and medial tibial plateau (p = 0.02) cartilage. The high normalized FCD content of the PCM in the superficial zone of lateral femoral condyle cartilage was consistent with the round cell morphology in that location.ConclusionsIn conclusion, we suggest that certain sites in the knee joint, particularly the lateral femoral condyle cartilage, experience less FCD loss in the PCM than in the ECM in early post-traumatic OA, which could lead to altered cell shape.

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The structural integrity and mechanical environment of the articular cartilage matrix directly affect chondrocyte deformations. Rabbit models of early osteoarthritis at 9 weeks following anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) have been shown to alter the deformation behavior of superficial zone chondrocytes in mechanically loaded articular cartilage. However, it is not fully understood whether these changes in cell mechanics are caused by changes in structural macromolecules in the extracellular matrix. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to characterize the proteoglycan content, collagen content, and collagen orientation at 9 weeks post ACLT using microscopic techniques, and relate these changes to the altered cell mechanics observed upon mechanical loading of cartilage. At 9 weeks following ACLT, collagen orientation was significantly (p < 0.05) altered and proteoglycan content was significantly (p < 0.05) reduced in the superficial zone cartilage matrix. These structural changes either in the extracellular or pericellular matrix (ECM and PCM) were also correlated significantly (p < 0.05) with chondrocyte width and height changes, thereby suggesting that chondrocyte deformation response to mechanical compression in early OA changes primarily because of alterations in matrix structure. However, compared to the normal group, proteoglycan content in the PCM from the ACLT group decreased less than that in the surrounding ECM. Therefore, PCM could play a key role to protect excessive chondrocyte deformations in the ACLT group. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 36:342-350, 2018.