title: Chondrocyte apoptosis in rabbit temporomandibular joint after anterior disc displacement.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the chondrocyte apoptosis in rabbit temporomandibular joint after anterior disc displacement.
  
  
  METHODS
  Experimental anterior disc displacement was induced surgically in 20 Japanese rabbits without opening their temporomandibular joint bursas. Histopathologic and apoptotic (TUNEL) analysis was used to evaluate the changes in articular cartilage, disc and synovium.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Condyle chondrocyte showed apoptosis most obviously at 1 or 2 weeks after surgery, and apoptotic cells concentrated in proliferative zone and hypertrophic zone. 4 or 6 weeks after surgery, the joint went into a remodelling period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chondrocyte apoptosis in temporomandibular joint will be activated after anterior disc displacement, which initiates the remodelling in temporomandibular joint.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, Hospital of Stomatology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310006, China.
authors.forename: Jianying
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Zhiyuan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Zhiqiang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Shibata
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takanori
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Jiaping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Peng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D004204:Joint Dislocations / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011817:Rabbits; D013704:Temporomandibular Joint / Q000503:physiopathology; D019224:Temporomandibular Joint Disc / Q000503:physiopathology*