The Change of the Mechanoreceptor in Anterior Cruciate Ligament following Injury of Posterior Cruciate Ligament in the Rabbit

Jung, Young Bok; Jin, Whui Jae; Lee, Tae Jin; Jung, Ho Joong

Abstract

PURPOSE: The purposes of this study was to evaluate the changes in the mechanoreceptor in the anterior cruciate ligament(ACL) in relation to the healing course following transected posterior cruciate ligament(PCL) MATERIAL AND METHODS: Adult New Zealand White rabbits were used in our study. The PCLs of 40 rabbits were transected at mid-substance on one side. Sham operation was performed on the contralateral side, which served as their own control. At postoperative 2nd, 12th, 24th and 36th week, subsequent changes of the mechanoreceptors were examed histologically with modified gold-chloride staining and arthritic change of cartilage was examed by gross inspection.
RESULTS
On gross inspection, the healing process of the transected PCLs began to appear at 6th week, since then the width has steadily increased. There was no evidence of cartilage degeneration from 6th week to 36th week. The number of mechanoreceptor was statistically decreased and morphological degradation was seen as compared with the control side at 6th, 12th and 24th week. The number of type 2 and type 3 mechanoreceptor had been statistically increased over time as the healing of PCL progressed.
CONCLUSION
In rabbit model, the mechanoreceptor in ACL changed in response to the stability of the knee with injured PCL. But, further studies are necessary to explain the correlation between the change of mechanoreceptor in ACL and development of arthritis in the knee with injured PCL