Protein synthesis in rheumatoid synovial tissue.

1. Function of synoviocytes and other cells in the synovium A. Histologic Considerations 1. Electron microscopic studies 2. In vivo and in vitro phagocytosis studies 3. Fluorescent antibody staining B. Culture techniques 1. Problems posed by study of isolated cells 2. Long-term explant cultures 3. Advantages of short-term incubations of synovial fragments 4. Isolation of immunoglobulins C. Non-Immunoglobulin Products of the Synovium 1. Products of normal synovium 2. Alterations induced by rheumatoid arthritis II. The Local Immune response in Rheumatoid Synovitis A. Evidence for Active Immune Stimulation 1. Meditators of cellular immunity in synovial fluid 2. Effect of synovectomy 3. Type and amount of immunoglobulin produced B. Local Commitment of Antibody Response 1. Effect of exogenous immunization 2. Rheumatoid factors. 3. Pepsin agglutinators C. 1. Relative enrichment for IgG-3 subclass 2. Increase in lambda-light chain composition III. Pathogenetic Considerations in Rheumatoid Arthritis A. Comparison of Rheumatoid versus Experimental Immune Synovitis 1. Chronic synovitis as a local immune response. 2. Role of cartilage complexes in substaining chronic synovitis B. Significance of the Restriction in the Immunoglobulin Response in Rheumatoid Arthritis 1. Analogy with other disease states in man 2. Common antigen in RA?