The surface structure of ageing human articular cartilage: a study by reflected light interference microscopy (RLIM)

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic research
• Biomedical engineering
• Cartilage biology

Background:

• The femoral condyle cartilage is crucial for knee joint function.
• Understanding age-related changes in cartilage surface topography is vital for diagnosing and treating joint diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the in vitro surface contours of the weight-bearing area of the left lateral femoral condyle.
• To investigate age-related changes in cartilage surface irregularity, specifically the tertiary order of surface hollows.

Main Methods:

• In vitro examination of 26 human cadavers aged 0–47 years.
• Utilized reflected light interference microscopy to assess surface topography.
• Measured depth, diameter, and frequency of tertiary order surface hollows.

Main Results:

• Confirmed the presence of four orders of surface irregularity in the cartilage.
• Identified significant age-related changes in the depth, diameter, and frequency of tertiary surface hollows.
• Observed focal surface changes with advancing age, suggesting regressive alterations.

Conclusions:

• Cartilage surface changes occur in distinct maturation (0–21 years) and aging (22–50 years) periods.
• These age-related changes may represent an early stage of cartilage fibrillation.
• No sex-associated differences were found in the measured variables.