title: Spatial Change of Cruciate Ligaments in Rat Embryo Knee Joint by Three-Dimensional Reconstruction.
abstract: This study aimed to analyze the spatial developmental changes of rat cruciate ligaments by three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction using episcopic fluorescence image capture (EFIC). Cruciate ligaments of Wister rat embryos between embryonic day (E) 16 and E20 were analyzed. Samples were sectioned and visualized using EFIC. 3D reconstructions were generated using Amira software. The length of the cruciate ligaments, distances between attachment points to femur and tibia, angles of the cruciate ligaments and the cross angle of the cruciate ligaments were measured. The shape of cruciate ligaments was clearly visible at E17. The lengths of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) increased gradually from E17 to E19 and drastically at E20. Distances between attachment points to the femur and tibia gradually increased. The ACL angle and PCL angle gradually decreased. The cross angle of the cruciate ligaments changed in three planes. The primordium of the 3D structure of rat cruciate ligaments was constructed from the early stage, with the completion of the development of the structures occurring just before birth.
authors.affiliation: Human Health Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Xiangkai
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Human Health Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomoki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aoyama
authors.affiliation: Human Health Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryota
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Takaishi
authors.affiliation: Human Health Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinya
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.
authors.forename: Shigehito
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.affiliation: Human Health Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kuroki
authors.affiliation: Human Health Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takakuwa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000196:embryology*; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur / Q000196:embryology; D005865:Gestational Age; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D016119:Posterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000196:embryology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D013977:Tibia / Q000196:embryology