title: Three-dimensional reconstruction of rat knee joint using episcopic fluorescence image capture.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Development of the knee joint was morphologically investigated, and the process of cavitation was analyzed by using episcopic fluorescence image capture (EFIC) to create spatial and temporal three-dimensional (3D) reconstructions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Knee joints of Wister rat embryos between embryonic day (E)14 and E20 were investigated. Samples were sectioned and visualized using an EFIC. Then, two-dimensional image stacks were reconstructed using OsiriX software, and 3D reconstructions were generated using Amira software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cavitations of the knee joint were constructed from five divided portions. Cavity formation initiated at multiple sites at E17; among them, the femoropatellar cavity (FPC) was the first. Cavitations of the medial side preceded those of the lateral side. Each cavity connected at E20 when cavitations around the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) were completed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cavity formation initiated from six portions. In each portion, development proceeded asymmetrically. These results concerning anatomical development of the knee joint using EFIC contribute to a better understanding of the structural feature of the knee joint.
authors.affiliation: Human Health Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan. Electronic address: lshl.tr@gmail.com.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Takaishi
authors.affiliation: Human Health Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan. Electronic address: blue@hs.med.kyoto-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aoyama
authors.affiliation: Human Health Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan. Electronic address: zhang.xiangkai.48v@st.kyoto-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Human Health Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan. Electronic address: tpshinya@gmail.com.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Higuchi
authors.affiliation: Human Health Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan; Congenital Anomaly Research Center, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan. Electronic address: shyamada@cac.med.kyoto-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.affiliation: Human Health Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan. Electronic address: tez@hs.med.kyoto-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takakuwa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000196:embryology*; D005269:Femur / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000196:embryology*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000196:embryology*; D061848:Optical Imaging; D016119:Posterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000196:embryology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013977:Tibia / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000196:embryology*
keywords: Development; Episcopic fluorescence image capture; Joint cavity; Knee joint