Spontaneous cartilage degeneration in guinea pigs.
Spontaneous degeneration of the knee joint cartilage in male Hartley guinea pigs was studied by light microscopy in animals aged 3-18 months. Unilateral focal degeneration, characterized by chondrocyte death and proteoglycan loss with surface fibrillation, was observed on the medial tibial plateau in 2 of 5 guinea pigs that were 3 months old. The incidence and severity of the lesions increased with age, and by 12-18 months of age, all animals had moderate-to-severe degeneration of the medial tibial plateau, femoral condyle, and meniscus. Lesions were not present on the lateral aspect of the knee joint in any of the animals.
Bendele
A M
AM
Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Greenfield, Indiana 46140.
Hulman
J F
JF
D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001284:Atrophy; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000473:pathology*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006168:Guinea Pigs / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors