Patterson-Kane J C, Parry D A, Birch H L, Goodship A E, Firth E C
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Massey University Palmerston North, New Zealand.
Connect Tissue Res. 1997;36(3):253-60. doi: 10.3109/03008209709160225.
The superficial digital flexor tendon is the most commonly injured tendon in the racing Thoroughbred. Despite the clinical significance of this structure, only limited data exist regarding normal age-related morphology of the tensile units, the collagen fibrils. The age at which these collagen fibrils become mature in composition and structure may be of importance. Consequently, the association of age and collagen fibril crosslink composition, diameter distribution and crimp morphology in the superficial and deep digital flexor tendons of Thoroughbreds up to and including three years of age has been studied. Replacement of immature crosslinks, peaking of the collagen fibril mass-average diameter and collagen fibril index, and stabilization of collagen crimp morphology changes supported the hypothesis that both digital flexor tendons become mature in structure by two years of age.
指浅屈肌腱是赛马中最常受伤的肌腱。尽管该结构具有临床重要性，但关于拉伸单元（胶原纤维）正常的年龄相关形态学数据却很有限。这些胶原纤维在组成和结构上成熟的年龄可能很重要。因此，研究了三岁及以下纯种马的指浅屈肌腱和指深屈肌腱中年龄与胶原纤维交联组成、直径分布及卷曲形态之间的关系。未成熟交联的替换、胶原纤维质量平均直径和胶原纤维指数的峰值以及胶原卷曲形态变化的稳定，支持了两种指屈肌腱在两岁时结构成熟的假说。
