Experimental production of ridges on rabbit articular cartilage: a scanning electron microscope study.

The surface of normal rabbit articular cartilage attached to subchondral bone has a pitted appearance when examined with the scanning electron microsope. It is thought that these pits are similar to those seen in human cartilage and that they reflect the presence of underlying chondrocytes and lacunae, shrunken by preparative procedures. Ridges or undulations were not seen on the normal articular surface with the scanning electron microscope but complex systems of coarse and fine ridges were produced when cartilage was damaged by cutting, by making a hole in it or by detaching it from subchondral bone. Humps or mound-like elevations also developed in some instances when cartilage was damaged by cutting or by making a hole in its substance.