[Hydroxyapatite microcrystals in synovial mitochondria in human and experimental rheumatism].

This paper deals with mitochondria microcrystal deposition in some human inflammatory rheumatism and in experimental arthritis. Hydroxyapatite microcrystals were observed in Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) and Reiter Syndrome (RS) but never in rheumatoid synovitis nor in chondrocalcinosis synovitis. In Rat and Rabbit experimental arthritis, they were always seen in mitochondria as in AS and RS and never in lysosomes. This fact suggests mitochondrial abnormalities in calcium metabolism, which may be a consequence of synovial inflammation in a susceptible host.