Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2012, Vol. 16 ›› Issue (33): 6107-6110.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.2095-4344.2012.33.006

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In vitro experimental study on the healing of meniscus injury between mature and immature swines

Dai Zhu1, Yang Le-zhong2, Chen Zhi-wei1, Liu Chun-lei1   

  1. 1Department of Orthopedics, First Affiliated Hospital of the University of South China, Hengyang 421001, Hunan Province, China;
    2Department of Orthopedics, South Branch of Yongzhou Central Hospital, Yongzhou 425006, Hunan Province, China
  • Received:2011-12-09 Revised:2012-01-09 Online:2012-08-12 Published:2012-08-12
  • Contact: Yang Le-zhong, Master, Physician, Department of Orthopedics, South Branch of Yongzhou Central Hospital, Yongzhou 425006, Hunan Province, China toulangyingwang@163.com
  • About author:Dai Zhu★, Master, Attending physician, Department of Orthopedics, First Affiliated Hospital of the University of South China, Hengyang 421001, Hunan Province, China oliverdaizhu@sina.com.cn

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Abstract:

BACKGROUND: The reason why the healing of immature meniscus injury is better than that of mature meniscus is the richer blood supply in immature meniscus than in mature meniscus in traditional opinion.
OBJECTIVE: To observe the differences in the interface healing of meniscus injury between mature and immature swine through in vitro organ culture models and to investigate the underlying mechanism of the healing of meniscus injury.
METHODS: The medial and lateral meniscuses were harvested from the posterior knees of local mature swine (6 months old) and local immature swine (1 month old) after death. The specimens were divided into mature group and immature group with 32 specimens in each group. A full-thickness tear model was established. The specimens were cultured in vitro for 0, 2, 4 and 6 weeks. Tear interface healing was investigated by using histology analysis and semi-quantitative scores were recorded.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: In the mature group, no reparative response was observed in all specimens except two specimens showed little reparative tissue at the interface at week 6 after culture. In the immature group: a few reparative tissues could be observed in three specimens at week 2 after culture; reparative response was observed in all specimens and bridge linking could be found in three specimens at week 4 after culture; the defects vanished in five specimens and bridge linking could be found in another three specimens at week 6 after culture. Semi-quantitative scores in the immature group were both higher than those in the mature group at weeks 4 and 6 after culture (P < 0.05). Significant differences could be found at all the time points except for 0 and 2 weeks (P < 0.05). These findings suggest that excluding the influence of vascular supply, synovium and cell factors in in vitro organ culture models, the reason why the healing potential in the immature meniscus is superior may contribute to its better meniscal healing than mature meniscus.

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