Spondyloarthropathy in progressive ankylosis (ank/ank) mice: morphological features.

Progressive ankylosis mice rapidly develop an ankylosing spondyloarthropathy that rapidly affects all of the articulations of the vertebral column. The disorder symmetrically affects the nonsynovial synchondroses and symphyses of the intervertebral spaces, the diarthrodial synovial apophyseal and costovertebral joints, and the sacroiliac joint. These joints present a clear progression from syndesmophyte formation through joint bridging to total fusion. The similarities and differences of the disorder identified in this mouse and human spondyloarthropathies are discussed.