[Morphological studies of the reparative function of pannus tissue in experimental arthritis in rabbits]

Histologic and electron microscopic studies of inflammatory pannus tissue induced experimentally in the knee joint of rabbits revealed not only destructive but also repair features. Thus, in addition to its chondrolytic and osteolytic properties the pannus exhibits marked fibroblastic activity resulting in fibrosis of its superficial part. At the same time activation of chondrocytes is observed.