title: Changes in proteoglycans of ageing and osteoarthritic human articular cartilage: an electron microscopic study with polyethyleneimine.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ageing and osteoarthritic (OA) cartilage show characteristic alterations in chondrocyte morphology and in the composition and content of matrix proteoglycans (PGs). Data concerning matrix components are mostly of biochemical nature. Ultrastructural histochemistry is needed to gain more information about distribution of these altered matrix components.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used the cationic dye polyethyleneimine (PEI) to visualize at the EM level alterations in the distribution and dimensions of PGs of human healthy young, healthy aged, and OA articular cartilage.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Young cartilage contained PEI-positive granules in the superficial layer and big winding PEI-positive structures in the deeper layers. In the healthy aged tissue, PEI-positive granules were observed throughout the matrix and smaller winding structures were present in the deeper layer. In OA cartilage both types of PEI-positive structures were absent in the superficial layer. Deeper in the matrix PEI-positive granules could be demonstrated. Moreover, PEI-positive angular structures were observed in the deeper zones.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The differences in PEI-positive structures are a good reflection of the differences in PGs between young, ageing, and OA cartilage as demonstrated in biochemical studies. PEI, used at the EM level, gave more precise information concerning the localized changes in quality, quantity, and location of PGs in articular cartilage during ageing and disease.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cell Biology and Histology, University of Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Y M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Sauren
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Mieremet
authors.forename: F P
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Lafeber
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Huber-Bruning
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Groot
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Scherft
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008853:Microscopy; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008875:Middle Aged; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011094:Polyethyleneimine; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011509:Proteoglycans; D011094:Polyethyleneimine