Development of a non-linear optical laser scanning microscopy system for in situ examination of cartillage reconstructive procedures

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Osteoarthritis of the knee is a health issue of increasing importance to Canada's ageing population. Recently, innovative cartilage repair techniques have been developed for the treatment of early to moderate stage osteoarthritis; however, there are few practical, non-invasive methods to evaluate the success of these techniques. Cartilage is made up primarily of the protein collagen populated by highly specialized cells known as chondrocytes. The number, organization and shape of these chondrocytes, acting in concert with the orientation of the collagen fibers determine the functional status of both native and repaired cartilage. Currently, biopsy, slicing, and staining are required to determine if a repair procedure has been successful. The obvious issue with this practice is the requirement for excision of a tissue sample, which could compromise structural integrity. Our intention is to apply non linear optical laser scanning microscopy (NLO-LSM) techniques to assess the integrity of cartilage in-vivo. We will take advantage of the strong NLO signals which occur naturally in cartilage illuminated by tightly focused pulsed-laser light. The NLO-LSM technique has been widely demonstrated to provide optical-microscopy-resolution images with very good contrast. The ability to use endogenous contrast for examination during surgery would reduce the need for cutting out a sample of the valuable implant tissue.