Intrinsic Innervation of the Rat Knee Joint Articular Capsule and Ligaments

Abstract

In spite of the practical importance of having a detailed knowledge of knee joint innervation to understand the pathophysiologic aspects, little information is now available concerning the density and pattern of the nerve fibres which are distributed to it. The present study has been designed to investigate the density and distribution of nerve fibres and receptor corpuscles in the knee joint articular capsule, cruciate and collateral ligaments in the rat, using the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) histochemical in toto staining technique. The investigation was performed on male Wistar rats of 3 months of age some of which had been treated with capsaicin to deplete their afferent ‘C fibres of their content of neuropeptides. AChE-positive nerve fibres and different types of receptor corpuscle endings were found within articular capsule and ligaments. The highest density of AChE-positive nerve fibres was noticeable in the fibular collateral ligament followed by the tibial collateral ligament, the posterior cruciate ligament, the anterior cruciate ligament and the articular capsule. In the articular capsule the number of type I endings was higher than in the ligaments. The opposite is true for the other type of receptor corpuscles found as well as for nerve endings. Capsaicin treatment significantly reduced the density of AChE-positive nerve fibres in knee joint ligaments but did not affect nerve fibres in the articular capsule. Moreover, it caused the disappearance of some kind of receptor corpuscles within the collateral and cruciate ligaments. The above data collectively suggest that the AChE in toto staining technique may represent a good method for investigating joint innervation and that a significant percentage of nerve fibres supplying knee joint ligaments is represented by C fibre afferents.

Extrinsic and Intrinsic Innervation of the Guinea Pig Knee Joint: Toward an Animal Model for Manipulative Therapy

“…8,9,[23][24][25][26] By using the modified gold chloride histologic method, the present study has shown 4 types of nerve endings resembling those described by Freeman and Wyke. 15 It has been shown that different nerve endings are supplied by nerve fibers of different calibers.…”

“…3,[8][9][10] It is believed that the articular innervation is important in active protection of the articular tissues by reflex control of the appropriate musculature. 11 The most comprehensive account of the nerve supply of the human knee was probably by Gardner.…”

Crosstalk between the nociceptive and immune systems in host defence and disease

“…Knee joints are strongly innervated by both sympathetic and sensory nerves, with nociceptors present throughout most of the joint, including the capsule, ligaments, menisci and bones 98,99 . During inflammatory states of the joint, nociceptors become spontaneously active and sensitized to mechanical stimuli 100,101 .…”

The Histologic Mapping of Sensory Innervation in the Human Anterior Cruciate Ligament

“…는 전방십자인대의 기 동물을 이용한 십자 인대의 감각신경섬유에 대한 동물적 연구는 종종 보고되고 있으나 [6][7][8][9][10] , 인체의 전방십자인대의 감 각신경섬유에 대한 연구는 전방 십자인대 조직의 습득이 어렵 기 때문에 드물다 11,12) . 그리고, 보고된 결과를 살펴 보면, Zimny 등 (Table 1).…”