Hughes L C, Archer C W, ap Gwynn I
The University of Wales Bioimaging Laboratory, Institute of Biological Sciences, Aberystwyth, Wales, UK.
Eur Cell Mater. 2005 Jun 20;9:68-84. doi: 10.22203/ecm.v009a09.
Adult mouse articular cartilage (AC) has not been thoroughly described using high resolution imaging techniques, despite the fact that the availability of knockout mice with specific extracellular matrix (ECM) mutations have renewed interest in using the mouse as a model for a variety of different human conditions. With osteoarthritis affecting millions of people worldwide, investigations into the structure and, therefore, the ability of AC to act as a load-bearing tissue, are crucial for developing treatments and prevention techniques to limit the degree of severity in this condition. Cryofixation and formaldehyde fixation as well as chemical digestion of the uncalcified regions of AC were used in combination with bright field light, polarised light and scanning electron microscopy to image the structure of adult mouse AC. Chemical digestion of the tissue revealed unique insights into the structure of mouse AC and the high cellular density of the tissue. Tightly packed sheets of collagen fibrils formed the territorial matrix (TM) of the deep zone. These were observed closely surrounding the chondrons, after applying both chemical and cryofixation techniques. The interterritorial matrix (IM), in contrast, was more isotropically arranged. The results of the study have implications for the interpretation of biomechanical functionality of mouse AC with probable applications to other species.
尽管具有特定细胞外基质（ECM）突变的基因敲除小鼠的出现，重新激发了人们将小鼠作为多种不同人类疾病模型的兴趣，但成年小鼠关节软骨（AC）尚未通过高分辨率成像技术得到充分描述。骨关节炎影响着全球数百万人，因此，对AC结构及其作为承重组织能力的研究，对于开发治疗方法和预防技术以限制该病的严重程度至关重要。将AC未钙化区域的冷冻固定、甲醛固定以及化学消化与明场光、偏振光和扫描电子显微镜结合使用，以成像成年小鼠AC的结构。对组织的化学消化揭示了对小鼠AC结构和组织高细胞密度的独特见解。紧密堆积的胶原纤维片形成了深层区域的领地基质（TM）。在应用化学和冷冻固定技术后，观察到这些纤维紧密围绕着软骨细胞。相比之下，领地间基质（IM）的排列更具各向同性。该研究结果对解释小鼠AC的生物力学功能具有启示意义，并可能应用于其他物种。
