Post-synovectomy changes in the articular cartilage

Synovectomy of the left knee was performed in 37 immature rabbits, using the right knee for control. In the first set of experiments the articular cartilage was examined at weekly intervals for 8 weeks following the operation, paying particular attention to the metachromatic changes in the ground substance of the cartilage. In the second set of experiments, restoration of synovium was examined. In the third and fourth set of experiments, the uptake of S35 by the cartilage was assessed using autoradiography and densitometry. In the fifth set of experiments, alterations in S35 uptake by the chondrocitic cells of the cartilage were studied by electron microscopy.