1131 Observation of Cytoskeleton in Chondrocytes within Articular Cartilage
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Response of chondrocyte to the mechanical stimuli, and the corresponding formation of cytoskeleton are likely to play great roles. Therefore it is important to clarify the architecture and distribution of them. We observed chondrocytes and the cytoskeleton of the porcine articular cartilage surface, in situ, using confocal fluorescence microscopy. In some cases, chondrocytes or cytoskeletons were double stained with integrin (α2) known as extracellular matrix. Additionally, the acquired 2D images were restructed to the 3D. At the surface, chondrocytes are distributed like clusters of several cells, and the contours were not smooth. In the chondrocytes, actin microfilaments spread from the nucleus to the membrane, and the density were especially high at the membrane. Intermediate filaments were thinner, and distributed completely to the cytoplasm. Integrins (α2) are chiefly distributed along the membrane and actin microfilaments.
