Comparative Study on Thickness of Articular Cartilage of Femoral and Tibial Condyle in Buffalo Calf, Adult Buffalo and Cattle Measured by Ultrasonography and Micrometry

Articular cartilage is an avascular, alymphatic and anural structure, lining the articular surface of the diarthrodial joint. It provides frictionless movement, dissipating stress and acts as a load bearing surface. The sample of articular cartilage from the femoral and tibial condyle of cadaver buffalo calf, adult buffalo and adult cattle (6 samples from each animal group) were collected and preserved in 10% formalin. The thickness of articular cartilage was measured by Ultra Sonography machine at the level of 12 MHz. The H &E stained sections of the articular cartilage (5–10 ìm thick) have been used to measure the thicknesses of the articular cartilage. The pooled mean value of thickness of the articular cartilage measured by USG was 0.556 ± 0.0084 mm. The pooled mean value of thickness of the articular cartilage of the femoral condyle and the tibial condyle measured by micrometry were 2.268 ± 0.26177 mm and 1.819 ± 0.1630 mm, respectively. There was non-significant difference (P > 0.05) between the mean value of thickness of the articular cartilage of the femoral condyle and the tibial condyle in both the age group and the animal groups. The thickness of the articular cartilage of the buffalo calf was more than that of the adult buffalo and the adult cattle.