[The ultrastructural aspects of the synovial intima and subintima in arthrosis]

Synovial membrane removed surgically from patients during developing degenerative joint disease were studied under a scanning and transmission microscope. The results show that the synovial membrane is folding into villi of average dimensions (microvilli and macrovilli) which project into articular cavity. In regard to the villi, the morphology is locally changeable, with the atrophic-sclerotic areas alternated with hyperplastic areas, but topographically well defined. In the last ones, structural modifications of the intima layer, are characterized by hypertrophy of B synoviocytes, which are constituent and predominant cells in comparison with other cell-types. In the subintima around ectatic vessels, the linfomonocitary inflammatory infiltrations may be found. These alterations are the results of active biological process and because of this synovial membrane is of big importance in developing of osteoarthritis.