Relatively little is known about the contractile behavior of the human articular chondrocyte. Other connective tissue cells are known to express a contractile actin isoform, alpha-smooth muscle actin, in response to injury, at selected stages of wound healing, and in certain pathological conditions. This and recent work demonstrating contractile behavior in adult canine articular chondrocytes in vitro prompted the present study of the distribution of alpha-smooth muscle actin-containing chondrocytes in human articular cartilage. Approximately 75% of the chondrocytes in the superficial region of cartilage expressed alpha-smooth muscle actin as demonstrated by immunohistochemistry. In contrast, only approximately 10% of the cells in the deep region stained for this contractile actin isoform. There was no correlation of the percentage of alpha-smooth muscle actin-positive cells in either region with Mankin grade or with age. This is the first report of a contractile potential for human articular chondrocytes. The roles of alpha-smooth muscle actin in these cells warrant further investigation. The question of whether it is necessary to refer to these cells as myochondrocytes is considered.