Age Related Anatomical Changes in Articular Cartilage of Femoral Head in Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis)

Present study was conducted to study the anatomical features of femoral head AC in twenty four intact hip joints of apparently healthy buffaloes procured from GHMC Abbattoir, Hyderabad. They were divided into four groups viz., Group I (prenatal), Group II (Birth - 3yrs), Group III (3 – 6 yrs) and Group IV (6 yrs and above). Morphological features of AC of femoral head revealed that articular surface was covered by a strip of AC made up of hyaline cartilage adjacent to sub-chondral bone in post natal groups, whereas in prenatal stage entire proximal epiphysis of femoral head was purely hyaline cartilage since AC was not yet differentiated. In post natal groups (II, III and IV) a layer of mature AC covered the hemispherical femoral head which blended peripherally with the epiphyseal cartilage. Thickness of femoral head AC reduced marginally with advancing age in various points of articular surface of femoral head viz., lateral surface, at neck and at midpoint. It was 1.89 mm, 1.38 mm and 1.49 mm thick in Gr-II which reduced to 1.64 mm, 1.37 mm and 1.36 mm in Gr-IV respectively. As age advanced, average length and width of femoral head increased fivefold from 2.83 and 2.43 cm in Gr-I (prenatal) to nearly 10.77 and 9.43 cm in Gr-IV (postnatal) specimens respectively. AC surface of young specimens was shiny pink in color in fresh state, whereas aged specimens it showed signs of yellowish discoloration and few indentations around the neck.

• Variation in the articular cartilage morphology with the age in buffaloes

• Variation in the thickness of AC femoral head at various points with the age from prenatal to postnatal stages in Buffaloes.