Ultrastructural Changes of Chondrocytes of Growth Plates of Young Broiler Chickens Predisposed to Tibial Dyschondroplasia

Abstract Growth plates from the proximal tibiotarsal bones of growing broiler chickens from lines exhibiting high and low incidences of tibial dyschondroplasia (TD) were compared for ultrastructural differences. Samples of growth plates were collected from five chickens of each line at 2, 7, 14, and 21 d of age. Each sample was prepared for ultrastructural evaluation after initial fixation in 2.5% glutaraldehyde and secondary fixation in 1% osmium tetroxide, each containing .7% ruthenium hexamine trichloride. No gross TD lesions were observed. The ultrastructure of growth plates of birds at 2, 7, and 14 d of age was similar between the groups. However, at 21 d of age, chondrocytes in the prehypertrophic zone of the high incidence group contained large lipid inclusions and vesiculated and disarranged stacks of rough endoplasmic reticulum with greatly dilated cisternae. Apoptotic and necrotic chondrocytes were present in the hypertrophic zone. Nuclei of apoptotic chondrocytes contained crescentic caps of condensed chromatin. The cytoplasm contained short segments of dilated granular endoplasmic reticulum, lipid droplets, and vacuoles. Necrotic chondrocytes appeared as amorphous masses with pyknotic and karyorrhectic nuclei. These changes were not observed in chondrocytes of the low TD incidence group and have not been previously reported in nonthickened growth plate cartilage.