Quantitative histological analysis of antigen-induced arthritis in the rabbit

Antigen-induced arthritis in the rabbit (AIAR) provides the closest experimental equivalent to human rheumatoid arthritis in terms of infiltration of synovial tissue by lymphoid cells. A method is described for quantitative histological analysis of AIAR. Measurements of total cell numbers, lymphocyte and polymorphonuclear leucocyte infiltration, and thickness of infiltrated synovium were obtained for ranges of antigen dosage and duration of arthritis. The method has been devised as part of a system for the analysis of joint swelling, synovial fluid biochemistry and cytology, cartilage proteoglycan chemistry and synovial histology on the same specimen.