title: Morphological Study: Ultrastructural Aspects of Articular Cartilage and Subchondral Bone in Patients Affected by Post-Traumatic Shoulder Instability.
abstract: Post-traumatic shoulder instability is a frequent condition in active population, representing one of most disabling pathologies, due to altered balance involving joints. No data are so far available on early ultrastructural osteo-chondral damages, associated with the onset of invalidating pathologies, like osteoarthritis-OA. Biopsies of glenoid articular cartilage and sub-chondral bone were taken from 10 adult patients underwent arthroscopic stabilization. Observations were performed under Transmission Electron Microscopy-TEM in tangential, arcuate and radial layers of the articular cartilage and in the sub-chondral bone. In tangential and arcuate layers chondrocytes display normal and very well preserved ultrastructure, probably due to the synovial liquid supply; otherwise, throughout the radial layer (un-calcified and calcified) chondrocytes show various degrees of degeneration; occasionally, in the radial layer evidences of apoptosis/autophagy were also observed. Concerning sub-chondral bone, osteocytes next to the calcified cartilage also show signs of degeneration, while osteocytes farther from the osteo-chondral border display normal ultrastructure, probably due to the bone vascular supply. The ultrastructural features of the osteo-chondral complex are not age-dependent. This study represents the first complete ultrastructural investigation of the articular osteo-chondral complex in shoulder instability, evaluating the state of preservation/viability of both chondrocytes and osteocytes throughout the successive layers of articular cartilage and sub-chondral bone. Preliminary observations here collected represent the morphological basis for further deepening of pathogenesis related to shoulder instability, enhancing the relationship between cell shape and microenvironment; in particular, they could be useful in understanding if the early surgical treatment in shoulder instability could avoid the onset of OA. Anat Rec, 300:1208-1218, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chirurgia Ortopedica, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Policlinico di Modena, Università di Modena e R.E, Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Baudi
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chirurgia Ortopedica, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Policlinico di Modena, Università di Modena e R.E, Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Catani
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Ortopedia e Traumatologia, Saliceto, Piacenza, Ospedale "Guglielmo da,", Italy.
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rebuzzi
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Metaboliche e Neuroscienze, Sezione di Morfologia Umana, Università di Modena e R.E, Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Marzia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferretti
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Metaboliche e Neuroscienze, Sezione di Morfologia Umana, Università di Modena e R.E, Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Smargiassi
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chirurgia Ortopedica, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Policlinico di Modena, Università di Modena e R.E, Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Campochiaro
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chirurgia Ortopedica, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Policlinico di Modena, Università di Modena e R.E, Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Serafini
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Metaboliche e Neuroscienze, Sezione di Morfologia Umana, Università di Modena e R.E, Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Carla
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0587-0112
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Palumbo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012783:Shoulder Dislocation / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: chondrocytes; osteoarthritis; osteocytes; shoulder instability; ultrastructure