Abstract
Prior studies have analyzed growth of musculoskeletal tissues between species or across body segments; however, little research has assessed the differences in similar tissues within a single joint. Here we studied changes in the length and cross-sectional area of four ligaments and tendons, (anterior cruciate ligament, patellar tendon, medial collateral ligament, lateral collateral ligament) in the tibiofemoral joint of female Yorkshire pigs through high-field magnetic resonance imaging throughout growth. Tissue lengths increased by 4- to 5-fold from birth to late adolescence across the tissues while tissue cross-sectional area increased by 10-20-fold. The anterior cruciate ligament and lateral collateral ligament showed allometric growth favoring change in length over change in cross-sectional area while the patellar tendon and medial collateral ligament grow in an isometric manner. Additionally, changes in the length and cross-sectional area of the anterior cruciate ligament did not increase as much as in the other ligaments and tendon of interest. Overall, these findings suggest that musculoskeletal soft tissue morphometry can vary within tissues of similar structure and within a single joint during post-natal growth.
Highlights
Joints within the musculoskeletal system consist of a complex combination of active and passive tissues including ligaments and tendons that have specific morphometric and mechanical properties enabling force transmission and movement
We focus on the terms isometry and allometry as defined by Huxley and how they can be used to describe morphological changes in tissues during skeletal growth
The objective of this study was to analyze the post-natal morphometry of four soft tissues with similar structure and function in the same joint: the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), patellar tendon (PT), medial collateral ligament (MCL), and lateral collateral ligament (LCL) of the knee joint
Summary
Joints within the musculoskeletal system consist of a complex combination of active and passive tissues including ligaments and tendons that have specific morphometric and mechanical properties enabling force transmission and movement. Many studies have investigated early pre-natal development of ligaments and tendons [1,2,3,4,5,6]. The structure, function, and biochemical makeup of ligaments and tendons undergo major changes throughout both pre-natal and post-natal growth [7,8,9,10,11]. Specific changes include increasing macroscale size and mechanical stiffness and changing orientation and shape, among others.
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