Ex vivo infiltration of fibroblasts into the tendon deteriorates the mechanical properties of tendon fascicles but not those of tendon bundles.
BACKGROUND
After ligament reconstruction, mechanical deterioration of the grafted tendon is observed with revascularization and cellular infiltration. However, the effect of cellular infiltration on the mechanical properties of the tendon matrix has not been fully understood.


METHODS
Cultured fibroblasts derived from the rabbit patellar tendon were seeded around an acellular rabbit patellar tendon that had undergone freeze-thaw treatment. At time-0, 3, and 6 weeks after seeding the cells, we evaluated cellular distribution in the tendon using a confocal laser microscope and the mechanical evaluations of the tendon fascicles and the tendon bundles.


RESULTS
The confocal laser microscopic analysis showed fibroblast infiltration ex vivo into the acellular tendon matrix. We could not find significant effects of the cellular infiltration on the tangent modulus of the tendon bundle, although the ex vivo cellular infiltration significantly reduced the modulus of the tendon fascicle. In addition, the tangent modulus of the incubated tendon without fibroblasts significantly decreased with time, particularly in the tendon bundle levels.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings of this study suggested that the effects of ex vivo cellular infiltration on the mechanical properties of the tendon bundles are relatively small, compared with its striking effect on the tendon fascicles.
Ikema
Yasunari
Y
Department of Sports Medicine and Joint Reconstruction Surgery, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, Kita-15 Nishi-7, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan.
Tohyama
Harukazu
H
Yamamoto
Ei
E
Kanaya
Fuminori
F
Yasuda
Kazunori
K
D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena / Q000379:methods; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism*; D008422:Materials Testing; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D010329:Patella / Q000378:metabolism; D017847:Patellar Ligament / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000473:pathology*; D011312:Pressure; D011817:Rabbits; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D013710:Tendons / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000473:pathology*; D013997:Time Factors