The objective of this study was to investigate the expression and extracellular distribution of fibrillar collagen types I, II, and III in early stage osteoarthritic cartilage in order to elucidate matrix gene expression and cell differentiation in early phases of the disease. Arthroscopically, derived specimens of early stage osteoarthritic articular cartilage were analyzed by histochemistry, immunohistochemistry and by in situ hybridization and compared with normal articular cartilage samples. In normal articular cartilage no significant mRNA expression of any of the investigated collagen types was found. In early stage osteoarthritic specimens, a strongly enhanced mRNA expression of the major cartilage matrix component type II collagen was detected. Additionally, a focal onset of type III, but not type I collagen expression was observed. Thus, besides activation of matrix synthesis, the modulation of the chondrocytic phenotype is likely to play a distinct role in the cellular response in the early phases of the degenerative process in osteoarthritis.