Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the changes of condylar cartilage and apoptosis in antigen-induced arthritis model of the rabbit temporomandibular joint. Twenty adult male New Zealand White rabbits were used in this study. Unilateral arthritis was induced with intra-articular injection of ovalbumin. Each four animals were sacrificed at 1, 3, 7, 21 and 42 days after the induction of arthritis. Apoptosis of the mandibular condyle was observed by TUNEL method . Although little morphological change of condylar cartilage was observed in the late acute phase arthritic joint, a larger number of TUNEL positive chondrocytes were observed in the arthritic joint than in sham induced joint. In the chronic stage of arthritis, TUNEL positive cells were close to the area of cartilage degradation.
