Immuno-Electronmicroscopic Studies on the Expression of Tenascin in the Synovial Cells of Human Knee Joint

To observe the morphological changes and the expression of tenascin in synovium of human knee joint, between normal condition and degenerative arthritis, were processed by immunoelectron microscopic method. The results were summarized as follows. 1. In degenerative arthritis, the hyperplasia of synovial membrane was characterized by the increase of cell number in secretory synovial cells. 2. In normal condition, there was no marking of the immuno-gold for tenascin in synovial membrane. 3. In degenerative arthritis, the immuno-gold for tenascin were observed in endoplasmic reticulum of secretory synovial cells and extracellular matrix of synovial layer. On the basis of above findings, the hyperplasia of synovial membrane and the pathologic processes may be concerned with the increase of number of secretory synovial cells and of expression of tenascin, in degenerative arthritis.