A fibroelastic cartilage: Meniscus

Abstract

The fibrocartilaginous menisci dwell between the articular surfaces of the knee and play a crucial role in healthy joint loading. They transmit forces, absorb shock, and enhance the stability of the joint. Traumatic injury and/or degenerative changes disrupt the mechanical function of these tissues. These changes can lead to the early onset and accelerate the development of osteoarthritis. The current standard treatment is meniscectomy, or resection of the damaged portion of the meniscus, a procedure that fails to regenerate normal knee mechanics or prevent the initiation of osteoarthritic cascades. Because of the high prevalence of meniscal injury, a repair strategy is needed that restores meniscus mechanical function in orthopedic medicine. To develop strategies and technologies for replacing damaged or diseased meniscus with tissue engineered, we have to understand the biomechanics of the menisci. The meniscus tissue biomechanics depends on the meniscus anatomy, microstructure, the amount of water it contains, biochemistry, and many features. Besides the properties of a biomechanical point of normal meniscal tissue allograft, the meniscus has also important biomechanical characteristics of degenerative meniscus mechanisms besides mechanisms of injury. Undoubtedly, this information may be important for artificial meniscus study.