Abstract
Objective The unique distributions and maps of calcium and zinc at the regions of interest in patella-patellar tendon interface (PPTI) were detected by synchrotron radiation micro X-ray fluorescence (SR-μXRF). Methods Healthy New Zealand rabbits were used in this experiment. Five harvested PPTI samples were cut along the sagittal plane of the PPTI by a microtome. Sections of PPTI were then scanned by SR-μXRF at BL15U1 of shanghai synchrotron radiation facility (SSRF) in China. Then the samples were used for histological staining with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and Van-Gieson. Results Histological staining showed that the thickness of calcified fibrocartilage in PPTI was (163.00±42.00) μm; The distributions and characterization of calcium and zinc of PPTI were successfully obtained via the SR-μXRF. The maximum calcium content [93 853 cps, (28.00±9.05) times of that of patellar tendon] was found in the transitional zone of calcified fibrocartilage region and the patella. A significant accumulation of zinc [10 100 cps, (3.20±0.65) times of that of patellar tendon] was exhibited in the transition area of tidemark. The maximum content of zinc was (8.70±3.20) times of that of calcium. The distribution distance between the maximum content of calcium and zinc was (135.00±16.00) μm, which was consistent with histological staining (r2=0.935). Conclusion SR-μXRF served as a high-precision and high-resolution instrument to qualitatively assess the distributions of calcium and zinc in the PPTI, which provides a new insight for the study of bone tendon interface repair. Key words: Synchrotron radiation-based micro X-ray fluorescence analysis; Calcium; Zinc; Bone tendon interface
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