Gigante A, Specchia N, Nori S, Greco F
Department of Orthopaedics, University of Ancona, Italy.
J Orthop Res. 1996 Sep;14(5):810-7. doi: 10.1002/jor.1100140519.
Three types of elastic fibers have been described: mature elastic fibers, elaunin fibers, and oxytalan fibers. To our knowledge, their location in the immature epiphysis has never been previously reported. The aim of the present study was to use histochemistry, immunohistochemistry, and electron microscopy to demonstrate the distribution of each type of elastic fiber in the epiphyseal region of growing humans and rabbits. Histological samples were collected from the knees of 10 immature New Zealand White rabbits and four children of various ages. The Weigert resorcin-fuchsin, Gomori aldehyde-fuchsin, Verhoeff iron haematoxylin, and Fullmer-Lillie methods were used for histochemistry; anti-elastin monoclonal antibodies, for immunohistochemistry; and tannic acid, uranyl acetate, and lead citrate stain, for transmission electron microscopy analysis. Elastic fibers were detected in the perichondrium, the epiphyseal vessels, and the outer and middle zones of Ranvier's groove. Their orientation was longitudinal in the outer zone and circumferential in the middle zone of the groove. Oxytalan fibrils (i.e., bundles of filaments of 10-12 nm in diameter that do not contain elastin) and elaunin fibers (i.e., filaments that cross discontinuous aggregates of elastin) were more plentiful in the middle zone and decreased with age, whereas mature fibers were more numerous in the outer zone and increased with age. This organization of elastic fibers seems to indicate an age-related process of maturation of the elastic network. The contribution of these fibers to the mechanical properties of the epiphyseal plate and to the growth process remains to be determined.
成熟弹性纤维、弹力纤维和氧化弹性纤维。据我们所知，它们在未成熟骨骺中的位置此前从未有过报道。本研究的目的是使用组织化学、免疫组织化学和电子显微镜来证明每种类型的弹性纤维在生长中的人类和兔子骨骺区域的分布。从10只未成熟的新西兰白兔的膝盖以及4名不同年龄段儿童身上采集了组织学样本。使用魏格特间苯二酚品红法、戈莫里醛品红法、韦尔霍夫铁苏木精法和富尔默-利利法进行组织化学分析；使用抗弹性蛋白单克隆抗体进行免疫组织化学分析；使用单宁酸、醋酸铀和柠檬酸铅染色进行透射电子显微镜分析。在软骨膜、骨骺血管以及兰氏沟的外层和中层区域检测到了弹性纤维。它们在沟的外层区域呈纵向排列，在中层区域呈周向排列。氧化弹性原纤维（即直径为10 - 12纳米且不含弹性蛋白的细丝束）和弹力纤维（即穿过弹性蛋白不连续聚集体的细丝）在中层区域更为丰富，并随年龄增长而减少，而成熟纤维在外层区域数量更多且随年龄增长而增加。这种弹性纤维的组织方式似乎表明了弹性网络与年龄相关的成熟过程。这些纤维对骨骺板力学性能以及生长过程的贡献仍有待确定。
