Ultrastructure and three-dimensional architecture of the anterior cruciate ligament in the knee joints of young and old monkeys
We examined the ultrastructure of the anterior cruciate ligament and assessed age-related changes by comparing the ligaments of young and old monkeys. Ultrathin sections of the anterior cruciate ligament were observed by transmission electron microscopy. The three-dimensional architecture of collage...
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Published in | Medical molecular morphology Vol. 53; no. 1; pp. 7 - 14 |
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Main Authors | , , , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
Singapore
Springer Singapore
01.03.2020
Springer Nature B.V |
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | We examined the ultrastructure of the anterior cruciate ligament and assessed age-related changes by comparing the ligaments of young and old monkeys. Ultrathin sections of the anterior cruciate ligament were observed by transmission electron microscopy. The three-dimensional architecture of collagen fibers in the ligament was examined by scanning electron microscopy after tissue specimens were treated with 2 N NaOH to digest the extracellular matrix. At the surface layer of the cruciate ligament in young monkeys, fusiform-shaped fibroblasts actively produced collagen fibrils. The ligament consisted of parallel bundles of dense collagen fibrils of approximately 200 nm in diameter. Collagen fibrils appeared to run linearly. Ligament fibrocytes in the deep layer had a stellate form. Ligament fibrocytes decreased in number and showed marked atrophy in old age. Collagen fibrils had a looser configuration in older monkeys. Despite atrophy of fibroblasts in the deep layer of the anterior cruciate ligament, the area with atrophic fibroblasts in the ligament expands with age, which can likely cause deterioration of and a reduction in collagen fibers. This information can be applied in studies on the cause of the low repair ability of and aging-related changes in the anterior cruciate ligament in humans. |
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Bibliography: | ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23 |
ISSN: | 1860-1480 1860-1499 |
DOI: | 10.1007/s00795-019-00224-7 |