A maturation change in the surface of cat articular cartilage detected by the scanning electron microscope.

The articular surface of the femoral condyle of kittens (2 days to 2 months old) and cats (6 months to 20 months old) was studied by examining air dried and critical point dried specimens in the scanning electron microscope. The surface of kitten cartilage was found to be populated by innumerable humps which were more prominent in air dried than in critical point dried specimens. Undulations and ridges were seen on air dried kitten cartilage, which was markedly shrunken and distorted, but undulations and ridges were absent from critical point dried specimens where shrinkage was more modest or even undetectable. The surface of the articular cartilage of 12 months and 20 months old cats was populated by innumerable pits. A rare hump in a pit was seen in specimens from the 12 months old cat, but not from the 20 months old animal. In 6--8 months old cats an intermediate situation prevails, for in some specimens pits were present on the posterior part of the condyle but humps and humps in pits were present on the anterior aspect. This study shows that the surface of young articular cartilage is populated by humps, but as the cartilage matures these formations are either transformed into pits or replaced by pits.