Articular cartilage fibrillation and permeability to Light Green SF dye. A method for the detection of pre-microscopic disease?

We describe a method which may be useful for the selection of samples for the study of early fibrillation in human articular cartilage. Blocks of cartilage and bone were cut post-mortem from the medial tibial condyles of 29 male and 31 female subjects and the grade of fibrillation was assessed from sections. Contiguous, unfixed blocks of cartilage from the same surface were immersed in a solution of the dye Light Green SF. Sections of these blocks were cut and the rate of penetration of the dye measured at 30 equidistant points across the condylar surface. The relationship between the grade of fibrillation and the rate of dye diffusion was then determined. We demonstrated a significant correlation between the two variables. This technique may make it possible to detect a pre-fibrillary state in apparently normal specimens.