Distribution of Biglycan and Decorin in Collateral and Cruciate Ligaments and Menisci of the Rabbit Knee JointEmma Kavanagha and Doreen E. Ashhurstaa Department of Anatomy, St George's Hospital Medical School, Tooting, London, United Kingdom Correspondence to: Doreen E. Ashhurst, Dept. of Anatomy, St George's Hospital Medical School, Tooting, London SW17 0RE, UK. The small leucine-rich proteoglycans (PGs) biglycan and decorin, and their mRNAs, have been localized during neonatal development and aging (3 weeks to 2 years) of collateral and cruciate ligaments and of menisci of the rabbit knee joint. In the collateral ligaments, biglycan and decorin are found between the bundles of collagen fibers at all ages. In cruciate ligaments the PGs are primarily around the cells. In neonatal ligaments all the cells express the mRNAs for biglycan and decorin, but in the collateral ligaments the number expressing the mRNAs is reduced at 8 months. In 3week menisci the PGs are uniformly distributed in the matrix, but by 8 months biglycan is present primarily in the central fibrocartilaginous regions, whereas decorin is found peripherally. In neonates, all the cells express the mRNAs but the number is reduced in 8-month menisci. The results illustrate the precise localizations of biglycan and decorin in healthy rabbit ligaments and menisci which, after injury, must be reproduced in the repair tissue for normal strength to be regained. (J Histochem Cytochem 49:877885, 2001) Key Words: biglycan, decorin, proteoglycans, mRNAs, rabbit knee joint, ligaments, menisci, in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry
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