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Anterior cruciate ligament insertion after partial tear: histological changes and chondrocyte turnover

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

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to clarify the effects of partial resection on the glycosaminoglycan (GAG) layer thicknesses and chondrocyte turnover (apoptosis and cell proliferation) between uncalcified fibrocartilage (UF) and calcified fibrocartilage (CF) layers in an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) insertion.

Methods

Twenty male Japanese white rabbits were evaluated. The anteromedial bundle of the ACL substance was resected in the right knee. The posterolateral bundle was left intact. Five rabbits were evaluated at 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks after surgery, respectively.

Results

The apoptosis rates in the UF and CF layers were significantly lower in the posterolateral area than those in the anteromedial area at 1 and 2 weeks, respectively. The cell proliferation rates in the UF and CF layers were significantly higher in the posterolateral area than those in the anteromedial area at 2 and 4 weeks, respectively. The GAG layer thicknesses in the UF and CF layers were higher in the posterolateral area than those in the anteromedial area at 1–8 and 2–8 weeks, respectively. The GAG layer thicknesses in the UF and CF layers in the posterolateral area peaked at 2 and 4 weeks, respectively. However, the thicknesses in the two layers in the posterolateral area gradually decreased until 8 weeks.

Conclusion

The GAG layer thicknesses in the UF and CF layers in the remaining ligament area increased up to 4 weeks and gradually decreased until 8 weeks owing to an imbalance between chondrocyte apoptosis and proliferation. If the reactions in humans are similar to those observed in the rabbits, we consider that augmentation for ligament reconstruction and partial repair should be performed within at least 1 month after injury, before insertion degeneration occurs.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST) Program and the Leading Project (LP) of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan for their financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Science, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennoudai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8575, Japan

    Masataka Sakane & Naoyuki Ochiai

  2. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Ibaraki Prefectural University of Health Sciences, 4669-2 Ami Ami-machi, Inashikigun, Ibaraki, 300-0394, Japan

    Hirotaka Mutsuzaki

  3. Department of Agriculture, Ibaraki University, 3-21-1 Chuuou, Ami, Ibaraki, 300-0393, Japan

    Hiromi Nakajima, Yoshinori Shirozu & Yuka Miyake

  4. Biomaterial Center, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0044, Japan

    Shinya Hattori

Authors
  1. Masataka Sakane
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  2. Hirotaka Mutsuzaki
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  3. Hiromi Nakajima
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  4. Shinya Hattori
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  5. Yoshinori Shirozu
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  6. Yuka Miyake
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  7. Naoyuki Ochiai
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Correspondence to Masataka Sakane.

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Sakane, M., Mutsuzaki, H., Nakajima, H. et al. Anterior cruciate ligament insertion after partial tear: histological changes and chondrocyte turnover. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 20, 102–108 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-011-1555-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-011-1555-4

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