Development of biochemical heterogeneity of articular cartilage: influences of age and exercise.
Abstract: The objective of this study was to document the development of biochemical heterogeneity from birth to maturity in equine articular cartilage, and to test the hypothesis that the amount of exercise during early life may influence this process. Neonatal foals showed no biochemical heterogeneity whatsoever, in contrast to a clear biochemical heterogeneity in mature horses. The process of formation of site differences was almost completed in exercised foals age 5 months, but was delayed in those deprived of exercise. For some collagen-related parameters, this delay was not compensated for after an additional 6 month period of moderate exercise. It is concluded that the functional adaptation of articular cartilage, as reflected in the formation of biochemical heterogeneity in the horse, occurs for the most part during the first 5 months postpartum. A certain level of exercise seems essential for this process and withholding exercise in early life, may result in a delay in the adaptation of the cartilage.
Publication Date: 2002-07-11 PubMed ID: 12108744DOI: 10.2746/042516402776186146Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This research paper investigates the changes that occur in the biochemistry of horse joint cartilage as the horse matures, and how this maturation process is impacted by the level of physical activity in early months of life.
Objective and Hypothesis of the Study
The study aims to understand the development of biochemical heterogeneity (variations in the composition and structure of biochemicals) in the joint cartilage of horses, from birth to maturity. The key hypothesis tested is whether exercise in early life influences the formation of this biochemical heterogeneity.
Process and Findings
- The researchers studied neonatal foals (newborn horses) and mature horses. They found that while the cartilage of neonatal foals exhibited no biochemical heterogeneity, mature horses’ cartilage had clear biochemical heterogeneity.
- To investigate the influence of exercise on this maturation process, they compared exercised foals at the age of 5 months with foals deprived of exercise. They found that the development of site differences—variations in the properties of the cartilage across different parts of the joint—was nearly complete in exercised foals but delayed in those who had no exercise.
- The findings suggested that lack of exercise in early life can delay the functional adaptation of the cartilage, particularly for collagen-related parameters.
Conclusion
- After analysing their findings, the researchers concluded most of the formation of biochemical heterogeneity in horse cartilage takes place in the first five months after birth.
- They also indicated that a certain level of exercise is crucial during this early development stage. When exercise is withheld during early life, it could result in a delay in the cartilage’s adaptation, which may not be fully compensated for even after starting moderate exercise later in life.
Cite This Article
APA
Brama PA, TeKoppele JM, Bank RA, Barneveld A, van Weeren PR.
(2002).
Development of biochemical heterogeneity of articular cartilage: influences of age and exercise.
Equine Vet J, 34(3), 265-269.
https://doi.org/10.2746/042516402776186146 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Equine Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, The Netherlands.
MeSH Terms
- Adaptation, Physiological
- Age Factors
- Aging / physiology
- Animals
- Animals, Newborn / physiology
- Cartilage, Articular / chemistry
- Cartilage, Articular / physiology
- Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / methods
- Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / veterinary
- Collagen / analysis
- DNA / analysis
- Glycosaminoglycans / analysis
- Horses / physiology
- Hydroxylysine / analysis
- Hydroxyproline / analysis
- Joints / chemistry
- Joints / physiology
- Physical Conditioning, Animal / physiology
Citations
This article has been cited 16 times.- Logan AA, Nielsen BD, Hiney KM, Robison CI, Manfredi JM, Buskirk DD, Popovich JM Jr. The Impact of Circular Exercise Diameter on Bone and Joint Health of Juvenile Animals. Animals (Basel) 2022 May 27;12(11).
- Nelson BB, Stewart RC, Kawcak CE, Freedman JD, Patwa AN, Snyder BD, Goodrich LR, Grinstaff MW. Quantitative Evaluation of Equine Articular Cartilage Using Cationic Contrast-Enhanced Computed Tomography. Cartilage 2021 Apr;12(2):211-221.
- Fernquest S, Palmer A, Pereira C, Arnold C, Hirons E, Broomfield J, Newman S, Glyn-Jones S. The Response of Hip Joint Cartilage to Exercise in Children: An MRI Study Using T2-Mapping. Cartilage 2021 Dec;13(1_suppl):1761S-1771S.
- Ribitsch I, Gueltekin S, Keith MF, Minichmair K, Peham C, Jenner F, Egerbacher M. Age-related changes of tendon fibril micro-morphology and gene expression. J Anat 2020 Apr;236(4):688-700.
- Vail DJ, Somoza RA, Caplan AI, Khalil AM. Transcriptome dynamics of long noncoding RNAs and transcription factors demarcate human neonatal, adult, and human mesenchymal stem cell-derived engineered cartilage. J Tissue Eng Regen Med 2020 Jan;14(1):29-44.
- Rogers CW, Dittmer KE. Does Juvenile Play Programme the Equine Musculoskeletal System?. Animals (Basel) 2019 Sep 3;9(9).
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- Thampi P, Liu J, Zeng Z, MacLeod JN. Changes in the appendicular skeleton during metamorphosis in the axolotl salamander (Ambystoma mexicanum). J Anat 2018 Oct;233(4):468-477.
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- Khan IM, Francis L, Theobald PS, Perni S, Young RD, Prokopovich P, Conlan RS, Archer CW. In vitro growth factor-induced bio engineering of mature articular cartilage. Biomaterials 2013 Feb;34(5):1478-87.
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- Hyttinen MM, Holopainen J, van Weeren PR, Firth EC, Helminen HJ, Brama PA. Changes in collagen fibril network organization and proteoglycan distribution in equine articular cartilage during maturation and growth. J Anat 2009 Nov;215(5):584-91.
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- González Vázquez AG, Blokpoel Ferreras LA, Bennett KE, Casey SM, Brama PA, O'Brien FJ. Systematic Comparison of Biomaterials-Based Strategies for Osteochondral and Chondral Repair in Large Animal Models. Adv Healthc Mater 2021 Oct;10(20):e2100878.
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