title: Characteristics of collagen fibrils in the entire equine superficial digital flexor tendon.
abstract: The superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) is one of the longest tendons in the horse. In racehorses, disturbance of the locomotor functions of the SDFT occurs most frequently in the central area of the mid-metacarpal region. While many studies have investigated the equine SDFT, there are no reports to date of the morphological characteristics of collagen fibrils in the central and peripheral areas of each of the three regions that comprise the entire tendon: the myotendinous junction (MTJ), the mid-metacarpal region (mM) and the osteotendinous junction (OTJ). Mass average diameter (MAD), which provides functional information on the mean collagen fibril diameter and tensile strength of the tendon, was found to be smaller in the central area than in the peripheral area of all three regions. The MAD value was lowest in both the central and peripheral areas in the MTJ region, and tended to increase generally in a distal direction in the OTJ. The OTJ is important parts that unite with the bone. We conclude that morphological structure suggested that it corresponds to biomechanical function in some region of the equine SDFT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Rakuno Gakuen University, Ebetsu, Hokkaido 069-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Masaru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sese
authors.forename: Hiromi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ueda
authors.forename: Takafumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Etsuko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Yoshinao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hosaka
authors.forename: Prasarn
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tangkawattana
authors.forename: Kazushige
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takehana
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D003094:Collagen / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005121:Extremities / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology; D006736:Horses / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology; D007867:Leg Bones / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D008124:Locomotion / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D013045:Species Specificity; D013710:Tendons / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology; D013718:Tensile Strength
chemical_list: D003094:Collagen