Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

The surface of human menisci and its aging alterations during age

A combined scanning and transmission electron microscopic examination (SEM, TEM)

  • Original Works
  • Published:
Archives of orthopaedic and traumatic surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Eight macroscopically normal menisci of different ages were obtained at autopsy to study their surface structure. The investigation was carried out using transmission and scanning electron microscopic (TEM, SEM) examinations. The combined methods have not been used before. An understanding of physiologic alterations during age has to be furnished for further research of pathological alterations. The surface relief shows clear differences in different age groups.

The meniscus surface of the newborn is built of randomly arranged, equally sized folds and cell formations. The TEM-examination reveals a loose net work of collagen fibrils which is not covered by a membrane-like structure on the joint cavity surface. With age the linear folds become wider extending from the anterior to the posterior segment. They are most prominent in the inner zone; in the middle and outer zone they are flattened at areas of interdigitation. These folds are most likely preparation artefacts rather than closely packed fiber bundles or pathologic osteoarthritic alteration of the surface. This is supported by the TEM examination showing a loose 3-dimensional fiber net work. Early degenerative alterations of the meniscus surface are characterized by a slit-like destruction of this superficial fiber net.

Zusammenfassung

Acht makroskopisch unauffällige Menisci verschiedener Altersgruppen wurden bei Obduktionen entnommen und die Oberfläche mit dem Raster- und Transmissionselektronenmikroskop untersucht. Diese Kombination von Untersuchungsmethoden zur Erforschung der Oberflächenstruktur wurde bisher noch nicht angewandt. Die Oberfläche der Menisci zeigte deutliche Reliefunterschiede in den verschiedenen Altersgruppen. Beim Neugeborenen fanden sich regellos angeordnete Falten and rundliche Vorwölbungen von Zellen. Im TEM erkannte man ein lockeres drei-dimensionales Fibrillennetz. Mit zunehmendem Alter bilden sich längs orientierte Oberflächenfalten aus, die besonders an der Innenzone hervortraten. Weiter nach außen erschienen sie eher abgeflacht. Diese Längswülste sind wahrscheinlich Präparationsartefakte und nicht dicht gelagerte, längs verlaufende Fibrillenbündel, wie man im TEM nachweisen kann.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aufdermaur M (1971) Die Bedeutung der histologischen Untersuchung des Kniegelenksmeniscus. Schweiz Med Wochenschr 101:1405

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Boyde A, Wood C (1969) Preparation of animal tissues for surface scanning electron microscopy. J Microsc 90:221–249

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bullough PG, Munnera L, Murphy J, Weinstein EM (1970) The strength of the menisci of the knee as it relates to their fine structure. J Bone Jt Surg 52-13:564–570

    Google Scholar 

  • Cameron HU, Macuab I (1972) The structure of the meniscus of the human knee joint. Clin Orthop 98:215–219

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke IC (1971) Surface characteristics of human articular cartilage-a scanning electron microscope study. J Anat 108:23–30

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Clarke IC (1971) Human articular surface contures and related surface depression frequency studies. Ann Rheum Dis 30:15–23

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Clarke IC (1971) Articular cartilage. A review and scanning electron microscope study. I. The interterritorial fibrillar architecture. J Bone Jt Surg 53-13:732–750

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke IC (1973) Correlation of SEM replication and light microscopy studies of the weight bearing surfaces in human joints. In: Johari O, Corvin I (eds) Scanning electron microscopy. Proceedings of the Workshop on Scanning Electron Microscopy in Pathology. ITT Res Inst, Chicago, Illinois, Part III, pp 659–666

    Google Scholar 

  • Cotta H, Dettmer N (1960) Ergebnisse der Bindegewebsforschung und ihre Bedeutung fur Erkrankungen des Stützund Bewegungsapparates. Arch Orthop Unfall-Chir 52:217–246

    Google Scholar 

  • Cotta H, Puhl W (1970) Oberflächenbetrachtungen des Gelenkknorpels. Arch Orthop Unfall-Chir 68:152–160

    Google Scholar 

  • Dahmen G (1962) Elektronenmikroskopische Befunde bei Meniskusdegeneration. Arch Orthop Unfall-Chir 53:620–632

    Google Scholar 

  • Dahmen G (1963) Elektronenmikroskopische Beobachtungen bei degenerierten Sehnen. Arch Orthop Unfall-Chir 54:126–138

    Google Scholar 

  • Dahmen G (1963) Die feingewebliche und submikroskopische Unterscheidung von Alterungs- und Degenerationsveränderungen des Bindegewebes. Z Orthop 97:326–337

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dahmen G (1965) Feingewebliche und submikroskopische Kennzeichen des reifenden Bindegewebes. Arch Orthop Unfall Chir 57:360–371

    Google Scholar 

  • Dahmen G, Höhling HJ (1962) Submikroskopische Untersuchungen an gesunden und degenerierten Menisci. Z Orthop 96:7–27

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dettmer N, Binzus G (1969) Neuere Aspekte zur Funktion der inneren Gelenkanteile bei Arthrose und chronischer Polyarthritis. Dent Med J 20:324–331

    Google Scholar 

  • Fick R (1911) Handbuch der Anatomie and Mechanik der Gelenke. Fischer Verlag, Jena, Teil III, S 1

    Google Scholar 

  • Gardner DL, Woodward DH (1968) Scanning electron microscopy of articular surfaces. Lancet II:1246

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gardner DL, Elliott RJ, Gilmore RSTC, Longmore RB (1975) Microscopical appearance and organization of articular cartilage surfaces. Ann Rheum Dis 34:Suppl 2

  • Ghadially FN, Ghadially JA, Oryschak AF, Yong NK (1976) Experimental production of ridges on rabbit articular cartilage: a scanning electron microscope study. J Anat 121:110

    Google Scholar 

  • Hartmann F (1958) Neuere Ergebnisse der Bindegewebsforschung. Z Rheumatol 17:445–469

    Google Scholar 

  • Höhling HJ, Dahmen G (1961) Sublichmikroskopische Untersuchungen an gesunden und degenerierten Sehnen. Z Orthop 97:339–352

    Google Scholar 

  • Inoue H, Isomaki AM, Oka M, Vainio K (1971) Scanning electron microscopic studies. Fibrocartilage degeneration in rheumatoid arthritis. Acta Rheum Scand 17:187–194

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kuhnke E (1958) Neuere Ergebnisse zum Feinbau der kollagenen Fibrille. Z Rheumatol 17:259–274

    Google Scholar 

  • Lindner J (1972) Altern des Bindegewebes. In: Handbuch Allgemeine Pathologie. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, Teil IV, Bd 6, S 309

    Google Scholar 

  • McCall JG (1968) Scanning electron microscopy of articular surfaces. Lancet 11:1194–1195

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meachim G, Ghadially FN, Collins DH (1965) Regressive changes in the superficial layer of human articular cartilage. Ann Rheum Dis 24:23–30

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Meachim G, Roy S (1969) Surface ultrastructure of mature adult human articular cartilage. J Bone Jt Surg 51-B:529–539

    Google Scholar 

  • Mittelmeier H (1973) Meniscusverletzungen. Z Orthop 111:386–394

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ohnsorge J, Schütt G, Hohn R (1970) Rasterelektronenmikroskopische Untersuchungen des gesunden und arthrotischen Gelenkknorpels. Z Orthop 108:268–277

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Puhl W, Tyer V (1973) SEM observations on the structures of the articular cartilage surface in normal and pathological condition. In: Johari O, Corvin I (eds) Scanning electron microscopy. Proceedings of the Workshop on Scanning Electron Microscopy in Pathology. ITT Res Inst, Chicago, Illinois, Part III, pp 675–682

    Google Scholar 

  • Putschar W (1972) Joints structure and function. In: Handbuch Allgemeine Pathologie. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 439–443

    Google Scholar 

  • Randall JT, Fraser RDB, Jackson S, Martin AVM, North ACT (1952) Aspects of collagen structure. Nature 169:1029

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Redler I, Zimny ML (1970) Scanning electron microscopy of normal and abnormal articular cartilage and synovia. J Bone Jt Surg 52-A:1395–1404

    Google Scholar 

  • Redler I, Zimny ML (1975) Scanning electron microscopy study of normal human articular cartilage. Ann Rheum Dis 34: Suppl 5

  • Redler I, Zimny ML (1975) Scanning electron microscopy of human osteoarthritic cartilage. Ann Rheum Dis 34: Suppl

  • Refior HJ (1971) Altersabhängige Veränderungen der Meniscusoberfläche — Untersuchungen mit dem Rasterelektronenmikroskop. Arch Orthop Unfall Chir 71:316–323

    Google Scholar 

  • Refior HJ, Fischer H (1974) Vergleichende mikrostrukturelle Untersuchungen zur Degeneration der Kniegelenkmenisken. Z Orthop 112:128

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rheumuth H (1969) Die Rasterelektronenmikroskopie. Dent Med Wochenschr 94:1832–1837

    Google Scholar 

  • Schultz-Ehrenburg Z (1973) Die Ganglien des Meniskus. Diss Fachbereich Med, Freie Univ Berlin

  • Stolpmann HJ, Kraaz W (1974) Die Oberfläche des Femurkopfes beim jungen und alten Menschen. Verh Deut Ges Path 58:394–399

    Google Scholar 

  • Stuckmann (1944) Quoted by Schultz-Ehrenburg

  • Walker PS, Sikorski J, Dowson D, Longfield MD, Wright V, Buckley T (1969) Behavior of synovial fluid on surfaces of articular cartilage. Ann Rheum Dis 28:1–14

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zelander T (1959) Ultrastructure of articular cartilage. Z Zellforsch 49:720–738

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zimny ML, Redler I (1974) Morphological variations within given area of articular surface of cartilage. Z Zellforsch 147:163–167

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, University of the Saarland, D-6650, Homburg/Saar, Germany

    Kurt H. H. Merkel

Authors
  1. Kurt H. H. Merkel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Merkel, K.H.H. The surface of human menisci and its aging alterations during age. Arch. Orth. Traum. Surg. 97, 185–191 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00389725

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00389725

Keywords

Search

Navigation