Basic biomechanics of the musculoskeletal system

Three dimensional microstructural network of elastin, collagen, and cells in Achilles tendons

1 – General Anatomy and Physiology of Joints

Knowledge of the collagen structure of an Achilles tendon is critical to comprehend the physiology, biomechanics, homeostasis and remodelling of the tissue. Despite intensive studies, there are still uncertainties regarding the microstructure. The majority of studies have examined the longitudinally arranged collagen fibrils as they are primarily attributed to the principal tensile strength of the tendon. Few studies have considered the structural integrity of the entire three-dimensional (3D) collagen meshwork, and how the longitudinal collagen fibrils are integrated as a strong unit in a 3D domain to provide the tendons with the essential tensile properties. Using second harmonic generation imaging, a 3D imaging technique was developed and used to study the 3D collagen matrix in the midportion of Achilles tendons without tissue labelling and dehydration. Therefore, the 3D collagen structure is presented in a condition closely representative of the in vivo status. Atomic force microscopy studies have confirmed that second harmonic generation reveals the internal collagen matrix of tendons in 3D at a fibril level. Achilles tendons primarily contain longitudinal collagen fibrils that braid spatially into a dense rope-like collagen meshwork and are encapsulated or wound tightly by the oblique collagen fibrils emanating from the epitenon region. The arrangement of the collagen fibrils provides the longitudinal fibrils with essential structural integrity and endows the tendon with the unique mechanical function for withstanding tensile stresses. A novel 3D microscopic method has been developed to examine the 3D collagen microstructure of tendons without tissue dehydrating and labelling. The study also provides new knowledge about the collagen microstructure in an Achilles tendon, which enables understanding of the function of the tissue. The knowledge may be important for applying surgical and tissue engineering techniques to tendon reconstruction.

High-resolution study of the 3D collagen fibrillary matrix of Achilles tendons without tissue labelling and dehydrating

A close relationship has been found between the 3D collagen structure and physiological condition of articular cartilage (AC). Studying the 3D collagen network in AC offers a way to determine the condition of the cartilage. However, traditional qualitative studies are time consuming and subjective. This study aims to develop a computer vision-based classifier to automatically determine the condition of AC tissue based on the structural characteristics of the collagen network. Texture analysis was applied to quantitatively characterise the 3D collagen structure in normal (International Cartilage Repair Society, ICRS, grade 0), aged (ICRS grade 1) and osteoarthritic cartilages (ICRS grade 2). Principle component techniques and linear discriminant analysis were then used to classify the microstructural characteristics of the 3D collagen meshwork and the condition of the AC. The 3D collagen meshwork in the three physiological condition groups displayed distinctive characteristics. Texture analysis indicated a...

Texture analysis of the 3D collagen network and automatic classification of the physiology of articular cartilage

Osteoarthritis is characterised by functional failure of synovial joints. It is directly related to degeneration and malfunction of articular cartilage. Earlier studies have reported that normal articular cartilage contains a 3D collagen network integrated with interwoven collagen bundles in the superficial zone. The collagen bundles are critical to the tensile and shearing resistance of articular cartilage. By integrating with the underlying collagen fibres, these collagen bundles also contribute to allow the loading capacity of the normal articular cartilage. The collagen bundles gradually disappear with age and early degradation of articular cartilage. This paper describes a computer image analysis technique developed to identify collagen bundles as an indicator of the healthy status of articular cartilage.

/pdf/identifying-collagen-bundles-in-the-most-superficial-layer-3qy75a5n9e.pdf

Identifying Collagen Bundles in the Most Superficial Layer of Normal Articular Cartilage

The structure of the collagen matrix in the most superficial layer of articular cartilage (AC) is particularly critical to the wear and tensile resistance of AC. Disruption of the collagen network leads to rapid wear of the articular surface, which is a major contributory factor of osteoarthritis. Interwoven fiber bundles have been observed in the most superficial layer of healthy AC under confocal microscopy, but gradually disappear with age and pathological change of AC. The image analysis techniques developed in this paper aimed to provide a quantitative description of the relationship between the presence of the fiber bundles in the lamina splendens and health status of AC. The result of this quantitative study confirmed the existence of fiber bundles in healthy AC, and the accuracy of the identified fiber bundles was up to 90%. With the development of confocal arthroscopy for imaging microstructure of AC without biopsy, the image analysis technique can aid to efficiently assess the physiological status of AC for orthopedic clinics.

Rotated Hough Filtering for Automatically Distinguishing the Collagen Bundles in the Most Superficial Layer of Articular Cartilage

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Texture analysis of the 3D collagen network and automatic classification of the physiology of articular cartilage

Identifying Collagen Bundles in the Most Superficial Layer of Normal Articular Cartilage

Rotated Hough Filtering for Automatically Distinguishing the Collagen Bundles in the Most Superficial Layer of Articular Cartilage