Connective tissue activation: VIII. The effects of temperature studied in vitro.

The effects of increasing environmental temperature were studied in two normal and two rheumatoid human synovial cell cultures. Control cultures showed an increased rate of hyaluronate synthesis and glucolysis as temperature was increased from 30 C to 39 C. Cultures which were activated (stimulated by a connective tissue activating peptide, CTAP) showed an especially striking increase in hyaluronic acid synthesis, glucose uptake and lactate formation at 36 C and 38 C. The data suggest that small changes in joint temperature may be associated with profound alterations in synovial metabolic activity.