Ultrastructural investigation of granulation tissues on the osteoarthritic femoral head. A scanning electron microscopic and transmission electron microscopic study.
From the femoral heads of nine cases of advanced osteoarthritis of hip joint, three categories of granulation tissues with different colors (bright red, dark-red and white granulation tissues) and texture were obtained. After processing, the specimens were observed under scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope. With transformation of the granulation tissues from bright red to white, the collagen fibers therein contained gradually changed from fine to thick ones. Nevertheless, the cellular components in these three types of granulation tissues always possessed the characteristics of both fibroblasts and chondrocytes, i.e., fibroblastic configuration with pericellular Type I collagen fibrils bearing 64 nm periodicity; and chondrocytic scallop-shaped cytoplasmic membrane with intracytoplasmic fat droplets and glycogen granules and pericellular Type II collagen fibrils. All these indicated that in osteoarthritis of hip joints, the granulation tissues of the femoral heads transformed eventually into fibrocartilage, irrespective of their color and texture.
Chai
B F
BF
Shanghai Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics.
Tang
X M
XM
D005270:Femur Head / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D006801:Humans; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D015207:Osteoarthritis, Hip / Q000473:pathology*