title: Alteration of knee joint connective tissues during contracture formation in spastic rats after an experimentally induced spinal cord injury.
abstract: This study was made to elucidate the changes in the periarticular connective tissue that can underlie the contracture after spasticity development. Sixteen Wistar rats underwent a spinal cord injury and 16 rats were either sham- or nonoperated. The periarticular connective tissue of the knee joint was assessed with histological, histomorphometric, immunohistochemical, and biochemical analyses. Histological results showed a smaller synovial intima, a dense subintimal and posterior joint capsule without fibrosis, and a disarranged posterior capsule in the spinal cord-injured knees with the flexion contracture. The synovial intima length was shortened only at the posterior capsule. Neither the distribution nor expression of type I and III collagen was affected. Contractures after spinal cord injuries are characterized by synovial intima adhesions. A dense and disarranged capsule may lead to joint stiffness. The alteration of periarticular connective tissues exhibits properties characteristic of the contracture after spasticity development.
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Social Services, Saitama Prefectural University, Saitama, Japan. moriyama-hideki@spu.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Moriyama
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Yoshimura
authors.forename: Seiichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kawamata
authors.forename: Hidenori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takemoto
authors.forename: Yukari
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Saka
authors.forename: Yoshiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tobimatsu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000032:analysis; D024061:Collagen Type III / Q000032:analysis; D003238:Connective Tissue / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D003286:Contracture / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000473:pathology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D013264:Stifle / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D024042:Collagen Type I; D024061:Collagen Type III