Structure and Function of Meniscal Horn Attachments

描述（由申请人提供）：半月板的作用是分配负荷和增加膝关节的稳定性。部分和完全半月板切除术均可增加骨关节炎的发病率。同种异体半月板置换术，人工合成或组织工程置换，可以减少骨关节炎的发生率。半月板置换术的成功取决于其在生物学和生物力学上恢复正常半月板功能的能力。先前的研究表明，许多生物力学标准对于适当的半月板功能是重要的，例如替代组织的材料特性和几何形状，以及替代物与胫骨平台的附着。该项目的目标是量化半月板附件的结构和功能之间的关系，并定义一个更复杂的附件本构模型。具体而言，本项目将1)确定半月板前后内侧附着体的力学特性，2)量化半月板附着体中韧带、未钙化纤维软骨、钙化纤维软骨和软骨下骨区的厚度，以及钙化纤维软骨和软骨下骨间指间的深度、数量和频率。还将确定附着物内的糖胺聚糖和胶原蛋白取向。最后，该项目将3)将附着物建模为纤维增强孔弹性，以预测附着物的行为。这些目标的结果将用于量化天然半月板附件的结构和功能之间的关系。这些数据可用于开发、设计和评估半月板替代物，包括组织工程结构。成功的半月板置换术可以防止半月板切除术后的关节退变。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Menisci function to distribution load and increase stability of the knee joint. Both partial and complete meniscectomy have been shown to increase the incidence of osteoarthritis. Meniscal replacement with allograft, synthetic or tissue engineered replacements, could act to reduce the incidences of osteoarthritis. The success of meniscal replacements depends on their ability to restore normal meniscal function both biologically and biomechanically. Previous studies indicate that a number of biomechanical criteria are important for proper meniscal function, such as the material properties and geometry of the replacement tissue as well as the attachment of the replacement to the tibial plateau. The goals of this project are to quantify the relationship between structure and function for meniscal attachments, and to define a more sophisticated constitutive model of the attachments. Specifically this project will 1) determine the mechanical properties of the anterior and posterior medial meniscal attachments, 2) quantify the thickness of the ligamentous, uncalcified fibrocartilage, calcified fibrocartilage and subchondral bone zones in the meniscal attachments, as well as the depth, number and frequency of interdigitations between the calcified fibrocartilage and subchondral bone. The glycosaminoglycan and collagen orientation within the attachments will also be determined. Lastly, the project will 3) model the attachments as fiber-reinforced poroelastic to predict the behavior of the attachments. The results of these Aims will then be used to quantify a relationship between the structure and function of the native meniscal attachments. This data can then be used to develop, design and evaluate meniscal replacements, including tissue engineered constructs. A successful meniscal replacements will work to prevent joint degeneration following menisectomy.