文章基本信息

标题：Menisci protect chondrocytes from load-induced injury
本地全文：下载
作者：Z. Abusara ; S. H. J. Andrews ; M. Von Kossel 等
期刊名称：Scientific Reports
电子版ISSN：2045-2322
出版年度：2018
卷号：8
期号：1
页码：14150
DOI：10.1038/s41598-018-32503-1
语种：English
出版社：Springer Nature
摘要：Menisci in the knee joint are thought to provide stability, increased contact area, decreased contact pressures, and offer protection to the underlying articular cartilage and bone during joint loading. Meniscal loss or injury is typically accompanied by degenerative changes in the knee, leading to an increased risk for osteoarthritis in animals including humans. However, the detailed mechanisms underlying joint degeneration and the development of osteoarthritis remain largely unknown, and the acute effects of meniscal loss have not been studied systematically. We developed a microscopy-based system to study microscale joint mechanics in living mice loaded by controlled muscular contractions. Here, we show how meniscal loss is associated with rapid chondrocyte death (necrosis) in articular cartilage within hours of injury, and how intact menisci protect chondrocytes in vivo in the presence of intense muscle-based joint loading and/or injury to the articular cartilage. Our findings suggest that loading the knee after meniscal loss is associated with extensive cell death in intact and injured knees, and that early treatment interventions should be aimed at preventing chondrocyte death.