Collagen ultrastructure in ruptured cruciate ligaments
- 1 January 1992
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Medical Journals Sweden AB in Acta Orthopaedica
- Vol. 63 (5) , 507-510
- https://doi.org/10.3109/17453679209154724
Abstract
The ultrastructure of collagen fibrils was investigated in normal (n 39) and ruptured (n 23) human anterior cruciate ligaments. The normal ligament had a complex three-dimensional structure. Collagen fibrils predominantly had a unidirectional course with parallel arrangement and a mean diameter of 75 (20-185) nm. Four days after anterior cruciate ligament rupture, the mean fibril diameter was increased; it later decreased, probably due to synthesis of young, thin 30-40 nm fibrils. Interfibrillar dysplastic collagen fibrils were detected in the extracellular matrix of ruptured ligaments. They were more frequently found later than 3 days after rupture and were seen also at a distance of 2-3 cm from the rupture zone. The presence of dysplastic fibrils may explain the functional insufficiency of the repair tissue in ruptured cruciate ligaments.Keywords
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