The commercial pig as a model of spontaneously-occurring osteoarthritis.

Background: Preclinical osteoarthritis models where damage occurs spontaneously may better reflect the initiation and development of human osteoarthritis. The aim was to assess the commercial pig as a model of spontaneous osteoarthritis development by examining pain-associated behaviour, joint cartilage integrity, as well as the use of porcine cartilage explants and isolated chondrocytes and osteoblasts for ex vivo and in vitro studies.

Methods: Female pigs (Large white x Landrace x Duroc) were examined at different ages from 6 weeks to 3-4 years old.