Anterior intermeniscal ligament: An ultrastructural study


Yildirim F. B., Soyuncu Y., Oguz N., AYDIN A. T., Sindel M., Ustunel I.

ANNALS OF ANATOMY-ANATOMISCHER ANZEIGER, cilt.189, sa.5, ss.510-514, 2007 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 189 Sayı: 5
  • Basım Tarihi: 2007
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1016/j.aanat.2007.01.009
  • Dergi Adı: ANNALS OF ANATOMY-ANATOMISCHER ANZEIGER
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.510-514
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: anterior intermeniscal ligament, mechanoreceptors, proprioception, collagen fibrils, electron microscopy, knee, TRANSVERSE GENICULATE LIGAMENT, MEDIAL MENISCUS, KNEE-JOINT, APPEARANCE, MECHANORECEPTORS, BIOMECHANICS, FREQUENCY, INSERTION, HORN
  • Akdeniz Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

The aim of the present study was to investigate the detailed histological characteristics of membranous and cord-like anterior intermeniscal ligaments (AIMLs) by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Light microscopy. Ten biopsies of AIMLs were sampled from 10 knees during total knee arthroplasty procedures. Three of them were membranous and 7 of them were cord-like. They were processed for tight and TEM evaluations. Histologically, the findings in the membranous and cord-like ligaments were similar. They consisted of parallel bundles of collagen fibrils and their posterior surfaces were covered by a Layer of Loose well-vascularized synovial tissue. The subsynovial region consisted of Loose connective tissue and was rich in blood vessels and nerve endings. Fibroblasts embedded between parallel-oriented collagen fibrils were the major cell type that we observed. Free nerve endings were squeezed between bundles of collagen fibers. Electron microscopic observations revealed the presence of Ruffini corpuscles. The presence of neural mechanoreceptors in the membranous and cord-like intermeniscal ligaments may contribute to structural and proprioceptional function of the knee. Protection of those ligaments may be valuable in planning and performing meniscal surgeries. (C) 2007 Elsevier GmbH. ALL rights reserved.
Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the detailed histological characteristics of membranous and cord-like anterior intermeniscal ligaments (AIMLs) by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Light microscopy. Ten biopsies of AIMLs were sampled from 10 knees during total knee arthroplasty procedures. Three of them were membranous and 7 of them were cord-like. They were processed for tight and TEM evaluations. Histologically, the findings in the membranous and cord-like ligaments were similar. They consisted of parallel bundles of collagen fibrils and their posterior surfaces were covered by a Layer of Loose well-vascularized synovial tissue. The subsynovial region consisted of Loose connective tissue and was rich in blood vessels and nerve endings. Fibroblasts embedded between parallel-oriented collagen fibrils were the major cell type that we observed. Free nerve endings were squeezed between bundles of collagen fibers. Electron microscopic observations revealed the presence of Ruffini corpuscles. The presence of neural mechanoreceptors in the membranous and cord-like intermeniscal ligaments may contribute to structural and proprioceptional function of the knee. Protection of those ligaments may be valuable in planning and performing meniscal surgeries. (