title: The breakdown of collagen by chondrocytes.
abstract: The chondrocytes of pure articular cartilage from young pigs display collagenolytic activity when the cartilage is cultivated by an organ culture method in medium containing 5--10 IU retinol/ml. Breakdown of collagen occurs in all regions of the cartilage; in the thicker explants it is greatest and most frequent in those that contain the deepest zone composed of proliferating and hypertrophic chondrocytes; it is also very drastic in thin explants composed mainly of superficial fibro-cartilage.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism*; D006909:Hydroxyproline / Q000378:metabolism; D008663:Metacarpus; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000378:metabolism; D013552:Swine; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D011509:Proteoglycans; D014801:Vitamin A; D003094:Collagen; D006909:Hydroxyproline