Origins of Dorsal Root Ganglion Cells Innervating Medial, Lateral Collateral Ligaments and Patellar Tendon of the Rat Knee Joint.
- Author:
Sung Il SHIN
1
;
In Heon PARK
;
Gyung Won SONG
;
Jin Young LEE
;
Sung Jin PARK
;
Duck Joo KWON
;
Jun Ho AHN
;
Yun Seok HYUN
Author Information
1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Seoul, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Knee joint;
Ligaments;
Tendons;
Dorsal root ganglion cells
- MeSH:
Animals;
Collateral Ligaments;
Diagnosis-Related Groups;
Ganglia, Spinal*;
Knee Joint*;
Knee*;
Lateral Ligament, Ankle*;
Ligaments;
Patellar Ligament*;
Rats*;
Spinal Nerve Roots*;
Tendons
- From:The Journal of the Korean Orthopaedic Association
2001;36(5):415-421
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: The present study was designed to examine the distribution and type of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) cells innervating the medial and lateral collateral ligaments and patellar tendons of the rat knee joint. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We selectively injected neural tracers (FG and HRP) into both collateral ligaments and patellar tendons and then charaterized the distribution and type of DRG cells in section. RESULTS: FG-labelled DRG cells, innervating the medial and lateral collateral ligaments, were located in L1-S3 (former) and L1-L5 (later). The HRP-labelled DRG cells innervating the medial and lateral collateral ligaments were smaller than 600 m2. FG-labelled DRG cells innervating the patellar tendons were found in L1 to S1. The HRP-labelled cells innervating the patellar tendons were variable in size (100 m2 to 3000 m2). CONCLUSION: This study indicates that the DRG origins of sensory nerves in the collateral ligaments and the patellar tendon of the rat knee joint are different. The majority of DRG cells innervating the patellar tendons are proprioceptive and mechanoceptive sensory cells. This finding suggests that the patellar ligaments have more neurological functions than the collateral ligaments.
