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Home / Equine Research Bank / Osteoarthr Cartil Open / Maturation of the equine medial femoral condyle osteochondra...
Osteoarthritis and cartilage open2020; 2(1); 100029; doi: 10.1016/j.ocarto.2020.100029

Maturation of the equine medial femoral condyle osteochondral unit.

Abstract: The juvenile equine medial femoral condyle (MFC) is frequently affected with radiographic changes (sclerosis and subchondral lucencies) that arise at a similar site to juvenile osteochondritis dissecans (JOCD) in children. There is little information on maturation of the MFC. To describe the normal development of the equine MFC osteochondral unit from birth to 2 years. Unassigned: Micro CT, histology and immunohistochemistry were performed on healthy equine MFCs (n = 29) at sites where lesions occur. Parameters assessed included: cartilage thickness; the epiphyseal growth plate cartilage organization; the osteochondral junction and progression of endochondral ossification. Unassigned: From 0 to 6 months, chondrocytes near the articular surface are small and flat and have a characteristic hypertrophic appearance near the osteochondral junction but are not arranged in columns like physeal growth plates. The osteochondral junction is also crossed by cartilage canals containing vessels giving a porous appearance on 3D μCT images. At 7 months of age, a subchondral bone plate compact structure emerged histologically coincident with the end of endochondral ossification (absence of type X collagen immunostain and chondrocyte hypertrophy). Unassigned: New information is provided on MFC osteochondral unit maturation that will improve our understanding of the development of juvenile equine orthopaedic disease. Equine MFC endochondral ossification is complete at 6 months of age. The immature osteochondral junction may be structurally fragile because of its microarchitecture and susceptible to focal traumatic events that induce developmental lesions.
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Publication Date: 2020-01-27 PubMed ID: 36474556PubMed Central: PMC9718262DOI: 10.1016/j.ocarto.2020.100029Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research investigates the development of the medial femoral condyle, a bone structure in the knee of young horses, with the aim to improve understanding of juvenile equine orthopedic diseases. The authors provide new information about changes that occur in this bone structure from birth until the age of two years.

Research Method

  • The research team used various techniques such as Micro CT, histology (the study of microscopic structure of tissues), and immunohistochemistry (a process that uses antibodies to detect specific proteins in cells) to study the healthy medial femoral condyles (MFCs) from 29 young horses.
  • The authors investigated various aspects including cartilage thickness, structure of the epiphyseal growth plate (the area where the bone grows), junction between bone and cartilage (osteochondroal junction), and the progression of endochondral ossification (the process of bone formation).

Findings

  • During the initial six months from birth, the researchers observed that the chondrocytes (the only cells found in healthy cartilage) near the articular surface (the surface of a bone where it will be in contact with another bone) are small and flat. However, these cells have a characteristic hypertrophic (enlarged) appearance near the osteochondral junction, although they are not organized in columns like the cells in the growth plates.
  • The osteochondral junction also contained cartilage canals filled with blood vessels, giving it a porous appearance in 3D μCT images.
  • At the age of seven months, the researchers observed an emergence of a solid structure called the subchondral bone plate in the histology studies. This coincided with the end of endochondral ossification, marked by the absence of type X collagen immunostain and hypertrophy of chondrocytes.

Significance

  • This study provides vital information about the maturation of the MFC osteochondral unit, which can help improve the understanding of the development of juvenile equine orthopaedic diseases.
  • The findings suggest that endochondral ossification in equine MFC is complete at the age of six months. Further, the immature osteochondral junction, due to its microarchitecture, may be fragile and susceptible to trauma, which could lead to developmental lesions.

Cite This Article

APA
Lemirre T, Santschi E, Girard C, Fogarty U, Chapuis L, Richard H, Beauchamp G, Laverty S. (2020). Maturation of the equine medial femoral condyle osteochondral unit. Osteoarthr Cartil Open, 2(1), 100029. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocarto.2020.100029

Publication

Osteoarthritis and cartilage open
ISSN: 2665-9131
NlmUniqueID: 101767068
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 2
Issue: 1
Pages: 100029
PII: 100029

Researcher Affiliations

Lemirre, T
  • Comparative Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, Département des Sciences Cliniques, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Q, Canada.
Santschi, E
  • College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, United States.
Girard, C
  • Comparative Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, Département des Sciences Cliniques, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Q, Canada.
Fogarty, U
  • Irish Equine Centre, Johnstown, Ireland.
Chapuis, L
  • Comparative Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, Département des Sciences Cliniques, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Q, Canada.
Richard, H
  • Comparative Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, Département des Sciences Cliniques, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Q, Canada.
Beauchamp, G
  • Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Q, Canada.
Laverty, S
  • Comparative Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, Département des Sciences Cliniques, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Q, Canada.

Conflict of Interest Statement

All authors have no conflicts of interest to report.

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