Might the Masson trichrome stain be considered a useful method for categorizing experimental tendon lesions?
Strain injuries of tendons are the most common orthopedic injuries in athletic subjects, be they equine or human. When the tendon is suddenly damaged, an acute inflammatory phase occurs whereas its repetitive overloading may cause chronic injuries. Currently the criteria used for grading injuries are general and subjective, and therefore a reliable grading method would be an improvement. The main purpose of this study was to assess qualitatively the histological pattern of Masson trichrome stain in healthy and injured tendons; indeed, the known "paradox" of Masson staining was used to create an evaluation for the matrix of tendons, following experimental lesions and natural repair processes. A statistically significant difference of aniline-staining between healthy and lesioned tendons was observed. Overall, we think that the Masson staining might be regarded as an informative tool in discerning the collagen spatial arrangement and therefore the histological characteristics of tendons.
Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
Tiziana
T
Martinello
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro (PD), University of Padua, Italy.
Francesco
F
Pascoli
Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
Giovanni
G
Caporale
Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padua, Italy.
Anna
A
Perazzi
Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padua, Italy.
Ilaria
I
Iacopetti
Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padua, Padua, Italy. marco.pat@unipd.it.
Marco
M
Patruno
D000818:Animals; D001391:Azo Compounds; D002452:Cell Count; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D004396:Coloring Agents; D012090:Cumulative Trauma Disorders / Q000473:pathology; D004801:Eosine Yellowish-(YS); D006614:Hindlimb / Q000473:pathology; D006652:Histological Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells; D008739:Methyl Green; D012756:Sheep; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000473:pathology*; D013710:Tendons / Q000473:pathology*; D014945:Wound Healing
D001391:Azo Compounds; D004396:Coloring Agents; C017768:trichrome stain; D008739:Methyl Green; D003094:Collagen; D004801:Eosine Yellowish-(YS)