Metabolic characteristics of in vitro cultured human chondrocytes in relation to the histopathologic grade of osteoarthritis.

Isolated human chondrocytes derived from healthy and osteoarthritic (OA) cartilage were cultured in high density in a newly designed microculture system. The severity of OA was graded according to a modified histopathologic score originally described by Mankin et al. Chondrocytes from adult patients with OA showed 35S-sulphate and 3H-thymidine incorporation in vitro, which increased with severity of the disease through Mankin 11-12. Incorporation rapidly declined after Mankin 11-12. Both matrix synthesis and cell proliferation were strongly reduced in the severe grades of OA. Histologic examination of the newly formed cartilage was only possible if the chondrocytes were derived from less severe grades of OA. Microscopy showed healthy chondrocytes surrounded by newly synthesized matrix, which stained well with specific dyes, indicating the ability of the cells to synthesize normal matrix components. The phenotype of human articular chondrocytes, derived from different grades of OA, was maintained in a high-density culture system. The data suggest dysregulation of the cell metabolism in OA cartilage. The increased cell metabolism was directly related to the histopathologic grade of OA.