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Review
. 2018 Apr 19;5(1):11.
doi: 10.1186/s40634-018-0126-8.

Cellular and molecular meniscal changes in the degenerative knee: a review

Mariano López-Franco  1   2   3 , Enrique Gómez-Barrena  4
Affiliations
Review

Cellular and molecular meniscal changes in the degenerative knee: a review

Mariano López-Franco et al. J Exp Orthop. .

Abstract

Background: The important role of knee menisci to maintain adequate knee function is frequently impaired since early stages of knee joint degeneration. A better understanding of meniscal impairment may help the orthopaedic surgeon to orient the treatment of the degenerative knee. This review focuses on changes in meniscal cells and matrix when degeneration is in progress.

Main body: Differences in the meniscal structure and metabolism have been investigated in the degenerative knee, both in experimental animal models and in surgical specimens. Cell population reduction, extracellular matrix disorganization, disturbances in collagen and non-collagen protein synthesis and/or expression have been found in menisci along with knee degeneration. These changes are considered disease-specific, different from those due to aging.

Conclusion: Significant cellular and matrix differences are found in menisci during knee degeneration. These investigations may help to further progress in the understanding of knee degeneration and in the search of more biological treatments.

Keywords: Cellular and matrix changes; Knee degeneration; Knee meniscus; Meniscal degeneration.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests

None of the authors have any competing interests in the manuscript.

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Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
a Right knee joint from a healthy rabbit. b Human menisci retrieved from an osteoarthritic left knee. MM: medial meniscus; LM: lateral meniscus
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Transversal section of the medial meniscus from a healthy rabbit knee immunostained for COMP. The extracellular matrix revealed the same heterogeneous distribution as for the cells, decreasing from the red to the white zone
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Cell clusters, COMP immunohistochemistry. a Microphotograph of a COMP stained medial meniscus 12 weeks after ACL-transection, where a tear can be seen. b 100×. Cell clusters, showing chondrocyte-like cells, strongly stain for COMP around the meniscal tear from the boxed area in (a)
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Rabbit meniscus stained with Alcian blue. The extracellular matrix proteoglycans are decreased in (a) the OA meniscus, compared with (b) the healthy meniscus. Magnification: × 40
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
In situ hybridization. Human medial menisci (red zone) stained with a specific riboprobe for human COMP. Cells are decreased in (a) the OA meniscus, compared with (b) the non OA meniscus
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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