Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2013, Vol. 17 ›› Issue (37): 6628-6635.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.2095-4344.2013.37.014

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Establishing a rat osteoarthritis model based on knee joint instability

Zhang Rong-Kai1, Yang Lu-kun2, Ye Zhi-qiang3, Wu Zhao-ya1, Zhao Qing1, Cai Dao-zhang4   

  1. 1Department of Orthopedics, 2Department of Anesthesiology, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai  519000, Guangdong Province, China; 3Department of Emergency, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou  510630, Guangdong Province, China; 4Department of Orthopedics, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou  510630, Guangdong Province, China
  • Received:2013-03-09 Revised:2013-07-15 Online:2013-09-10 Published:2013-09-10
  • Contact: Cai Dao-zhang, M.D., Doctoral supervisor, Chief physician, Department of Orthopedics, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510630, Guangdong Province, China caidaozhang@gmail.com
  • About author:Zhang Rong-kai☆, M.D., Attending physician, Department of Orthopedics, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519000, Guangdong Province, China kaican@163.com
  • Supported by:

    National High-Tech Research and Development Plan of China (863 Program), No. 2008AA02Z437*; Young Doctor Initial Foundation of the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, No. 201203*; Medical Research Project of Zhuhai City, No.2013D0401990009*

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Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Osteoarthritis is a kind of complex multi-cause degenerative joint diseases. It is important to prevent and treat osteoarthritis in the early stage. But it is difficult to obtain the sufficient amount of human bone specimens with early osteoarthritis which are suitable for the research.
OBJECTIVE: To observe the pathological changes of articular cartilage in the rat osteoarthritis model established with joint instability.
METHODS: The 10-week-old male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into two groups: the experimental group and the control group. Rats in the experimental group underwent open surgery, involving both medial meniscectomy and medial collateral ligament transection. The rats in the control group only received capsular incision. The rats were sacrificed at 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks after operation to obtain the right knee joint specimens, and then histopathological examination was performed to analyze the changes of rat osteoarthritis disease.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The mild erosion, ulcers wear, severe wear, osteophyte formation and other pathological changes were observed during articular cartilage degeneration in the experimental group at 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks after operation. The articular cartilage score at 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks after operation in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05). The results showed that medial meniscectomy and medial collateral ligament transection can effectively establish the rat knee osteoarthritis model, and the pathological and morphological changes at 4 weeks after modeling are similar to the
performance of early human knee osteoarthritis, so the model is the ideal model to research the early osteoarthritis.

Key words: cartilage, joints, osteoarthritis, knee, joint instability, models, animal

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