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Collagen fibre arrangement and functional crimping pattern of the medial collateral ligament in the rat knee

  • Experimental Study
  • Published:
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy Aims and scope

Abstract

Ligaments have been described as multifascicular structures with collagen fibres cross-connecting to each other or running straight and parallel also showing a waviness or crimping pattern playing as a shock absorber/recoiling system during joint motions. A particular collagen array and crimping pattern in different ligaments may reflect different biomechanical roles and properties. The aim of the study was to relate the 3D collagen arrangement in the crimping pattern of the medial collateral ligament (MCL) to its functional role. The MCL is one of the most injured ligaments during sports activities and an experimental model to understand the rate, quality and composition of ligaments healing. A deep knowledge of structure–function relationship of collagen fibres array will improve the development of rehabilitation protocols and more appropriate exercises for recovery of functional activity. The rat MCL was analysed by polarized light microscopy, confocal laser microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Histomorphometric analysis demonstrated that MCL crimps have a smaller base length versus other tendons. SEM observations demonstrated that collagen fibres showing few crimps were composed of fibrils intertwining and crossing one another in the outer region. Confocal laser analyses excluded a helical array of collagen fibres. By contrast, in the core portion, densely packed straight collagen fibres ran parallel to the main axis of the ligament being interrupted both by planar crimps, similar to tendon crimps, and by newly described right-handed twisted crimps. It is concluded that planar crimps could oppose or respond exclusively to tensional forces parallel to the main ligament axis, whereas the right-handed twisted crimps could better resist/respond to a complex of tensional/rotational forces within the ligament thus opposing to an external rotation of tibia.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Gianfranco Filippini, DipartImento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agroambientali, University of Bologna, for his technical assistance with SEM. This work was supported by a grant of Ministero dell’Istruzione, dell’ Università e della Ricerca (Ricerca Fondamentale Orientata 2008).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Anatomical Sciences and Physiopathology of the Locomotor Apparatus, University of Bologna, Via Irnerio, 48, 40126, Bologna, Italy

    Marco Franchi, Marilisa Quaranta, Maria Macciocca, Luisa Leonardi, Vittoria Ottani & Alessandro Ruggeri

  2. LAMBS-IFOM MicroSCoBio Research Centre and Department of Physics, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy

    Paolo Bianchini & Alberto Diaspro

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  1. Marco Franchi
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  2. Marilisa Quaranta
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  3. Maria Macciocca
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  4. Luisa Leonardi
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  5. Vittoria Ottani
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  6. Paolo Bianchini
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  8. Alessandro Ruggeri
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Correspondence to Marco Franchi.

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Franchi, M., Quaranta, M., Macciocca, M. et al. Collagen fibre arrangement and functional crimping pattern of the medial collateral ligament in the rat knee. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 18, 1671–1678 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-010-1084-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-010-1084-6

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