Diarthrodial joints

OA is characterized by damage to diarthrodial joints and joint structures. In the past, OA was referred to as degenerative joint... 

FIGURE 55-1. Characteristics of osteoarthritis in the diarthrodial joint. (Adapted from DiPiro JT, Talbert RL, Yee GC, et a I, (eds.) Pharmacotherapy. A Pathophysiologic Approach. 6th ed. New York McGraw-Hill 2005, Figure 90-1, p.1687, with permission.)... 

Diarthrodial joint A joint in which the opposing bony surfaces are covered with a layer of hyaline cartilage and in which some degree of free movement is possible. 

Synovium is a tissue which lines all diarthrodial joints and this tissue under arthritic conditions becomes inflamed and causes pain, swelling and loss of motion. Medical destruction using radioisotopes is known as radiosynvectomy. 90Y, 169Er, 165Dy and 177Lu have been used in radiosynvectomy [192-195]. 

OA joint may reflect compensatory processes to maintain function in the face of ongoing joint destruction. As such, the pathogenesis of OA involves not only biomechanical forces, but also inflammatory, biochemical, and immunologic factors. To understand the pathophysiology of OA, famiharity with the normal joint is essential. To this end, a review of the biochemistry and function of normal cartilage and of the diarthrodial joint is provided. 

MSCs can be isolated from tissues within the diarthrodial joint and might act as a reservoir for replacement cells to contribute to the maintenance of healthy tissue and/or response to injury. However, degenerative changes in osteoarthritis (OA) can be partly attributed to the aberrant or defective activity of these local MSC populations. Thus, degeneration of cartilage. 

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