Structure and Function of Meniscal Horn Attachments

描述（由申请人提供）：半月板的功能是分配载荷并增加膝关节的稳定性。部分和完全椎间盘切除术都被证明会增加骨关节炎的发病率。同种异体移植物、人工合成物或组织工程替代物置换半月板可降低骨关节炎的发生率。髋臼置换术的成功取决于其在生物学和生物力学方面恢复正常髋臼功能的能力。先前的研究表明，许多生物力学标准对于适当的关节功能是重要的，例如置换组织的材料特性和几何形状以及置换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，并定义更复杂的附件本构模型。具体而言，该项目将1）确定前内侧和后内侧关节附件的机械性能，2）量化关节附件中韧带、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之间的交错深度、数量和频率。还将确定附件内的糖胺聚糖和胶原蛋白方向。最后，该项目将3）模拟纤维增强多孔弹性的附件，以预测附件的行为。这些目标的结果将被用来量化的结构和功能之间的关系的天然牙釉质附着。这些数据可用于开发、设计和评估人工髋关节置换，包括组织工程构建。一个成功的关节置换将有助于防止关节切除术后的关节退化。

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.