Joint Response to Injury

Articular cartilage has limited ability to regenerate
- Superficial defects are long standing
  - Chondrocyte hyperplasia is ineffective at filling the defect
  - Non-painful
- Defects reaching subchondral bone
  - Filled with vascular fibroous tissue undergoing metaplasia into cartilage
  - Painful
- Fibrillation - loss of proteoglycans -> condensation of collagen fibres -> fraying of surface
- Eburnation - loss of articular cartilage -> exposure of subchondral bone -> becomes dense and polished
Synovial membranes respond by:
- Villous hypertrophy
  - +/- synovitis
- Hyperplasia

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