These studies sought to investigate quantitative relationships between the complex composite structure and mechanical properties of tendon. The isolated mouse tail tendon fascicle was chosen as an appropriate model for these so-called “structure-function” investigations. Specifically, collagen fibril diameters and mechanical properties were measured in fascicles from immature (3 week) control, adult (8 week) control, and adult (8 week) Mov13 transgenic mice. Results demonstrated a moderate correlation between mean fibril diameter and fascicle stiffness (r = 0.73, p = 0.001) and maximum load (r = 0.75, p < 0.001), whereas a weak correlation with fascicle modulus (r = 0.39, p = 0.11) and maximum stress (r = 0.48, p = 0.04). An analysis of pooled within-group correlations revealed no strong structure-function trends evidenced at the local or group level, indicating that correlations observed in the general structure-function analyses were due primarily to having three different experimental groups, rather than significant correlations of parameters within the groups.
Issue Section:
Technical Papers
1.
Bay
B.
Howell
S. M.
Evans
B.
Patrissi
G. A.
1993
, “An analysis of collagen fiber distributions as a predictor of modulus in a sheep anterior cruciate ligament
,” Trans. Orthop. Res. Soc.
, Vol. 18
(2
), p. 333
333
.2.
Binkley, J. M., and Peat, M., 1986, “The effects of immobilization on the ultrastructure and mechanical properties of the medial collateral ligament of rats,” Clin. Orthop. Rel. Res., pp. 301–308.
3.
Birk
D. E.
Zycband
E. I.
Winkelmann
D. A.
Trelstad
R. L.
1989
, “Collagen fibrillogenesis in situ: fibril segments are intermediates in matrix assembly
,” Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA
, Vol. 86
(12
), pp. 4549
–4553
.4.
Birk
D. E.
Zycband
E. I.
Winkelmann
D. A.
Trelstad
R. L.
1990
, “Collagen fibrillogenesis in situ. Discontinuous segmental assembly in extracellular compartments
,” Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci.
, Vol. 580
, pp. 176
–194
.5.
Bonadio
J.
Saunders
T. L.
Tsai
E.
Goldstein
S. A.
Morris-Wiman
J.
Brinkley
L.
1990
, “Transgenic mouse model of the mild dominant form of osteogenesis imperfecta
,” Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA
, Vol. 87
, pp. 7145
–7149
.6.
Butler
D. L.
Kay
M. D.
Stouffer
D. C.
1986
, “Comparison of material properties in fascicle-bone units from human patellar tendon and knee ligaments
,” J. Biomech.
, Vol. 19
, pp. 425
–432
.7.
Craig
A. S.
Eikenberry
E. F.
Parry
D. A.
1987
, “Ultrastructural organization of skin: classification on the basis of mechanical role
,” Connect. Tissue Res.
, Vol. 16
(3
), pp. 213
–223
.8.
Derwin
K. A.
Soslowsky
L. J.
Flanagan
C. L.
Edwards
C. A.
Jepsen
K. J.
1994
a, “Alterations in tail tendon ultrastructure and collagen content in the transgenic Mov13 mouse
,” Trans. Orthop. Res. Soc.
, Vol. 9
(1
), p. 44
44
.9.
Derwin
K. A.
Soslowsky
L. J.
Green
W. D. K.
Elder
S. H.
1994
b, “A new optical system for the determination of deformations and strains: calibration characteristics and experimental results
,” J. Biomech.
, Vol. 27
(10
), pp. 1277
–1285
.10.
Derwin
K. A.
Soslowsky
L. J.
1995
, “The tail tendon fascicle of the Mov13 mouse as a model for studying structure-function
,” Trans. Orthop. Res. Soc.
, Vol. 20
(1
), pp. 13
13
.11.
Flint
M. H.
Craig
A. S.
Reilly
H. C.
Gillard
G. C.
Parry
D. A.
1984
, “Collagen fibril diameters and glycosaminoglycan content of skins—indices of tissue maturity and function
,” Connect. Tissue Res.
, Vol. 13
(1
), pp. 69
–81
.12.
Haut
R. C.
1983
, “Age-dependent influence of strain rate on the tensile failure of rat- tail tendon
,” ASME JOURNAL OF BIOMECHANICAL ENGINEERING
, Vol. 105
, pp. 296
–299
.13.
Haut
R. C.
1985
, “The effect of a lathyritic diet on the sensitivity of tendon to strain rate
,” ASME JOURNAL OF BIOMECHANICAL ENGINEERING
, Vol. 107
(2
), pp. 166
–174
.14.
Haut
R. C.
1986
, “The influence of specimen length on the tensile failure properties of tendon collagen
,” J. Biomech.
, Vol. 19
(11
), pp. 951
–5
.15.
Hurschler
C.
Loitz-Ramage
B.
Vanderby
R.
1997
, “A structurally based stress-stretch relationship for tendon and ligament
,” ASME JOURNAL OF BIOMECHANICAL ENGINEERING
, Vol. 119
, pp. 392
–399
.16.
Kronick
P. L.
Sacks
M. S.
1994
, “Matrix macromolecules that affect the viscoelasticity of calfskin
,” ASME JOURNAL OF BIOMECHANICAL ENGINEERING
, Vol. 116
, pp. 140
–145
.17.
Lam
T. C.
Thomas
C. G.
Shrive
N. G.
Frank
C. B.
Sabiston
C. P.
1990
, “The effects of temperature on the viscoelastic properties of the rabbit medial collateral ligament
,” ASME JOURNAL OF BIOMECHANICAL ENGINEERING
, Vol. 112
(2
), pp. 147
–52
.18.
Liao
H.
Belkoff
S. M.
1999
, “A failure model for ligaments
,” J. Biomech.
, Vol. 32
(2
), pp. 183
–188
.19.
Moore
M. J.
De Beaux
A.
1987
, “A quantitative ultrastructural study of rat tendon from birth to maturity
,” J. Anat.
, Vol. 153
, pp. 163
–169
.20.
Parry
D. A.
Craig
A. S.
1977
, “Quantitative electron microscope observations of the collagen fibrils in rat-tail tendon
,” Biopolymers
, Vol. 16
(5
), pp. 1015
–1031
.21.
Parry
D. A.
Craig
A. S.
1978
, “Collagen fibrils and elastic fibers in rat-tail tendon: an electron microscopic investigation
,” Biopolymers
, Vol. 17
(4
), pp. 843
–845
.22.
Parry
D. A.
Barnes
G. R.
Craig
A. S.
1978
, “A comparison of the size distribution of collagen fibrils in connective tissues as a function of age and a possible relation between fibril size distribution and mechanical properties
,” Proc. R. Soc. Lond. (Biol.)
, Vol. 203
(1152
), pp. 305
–321
.23.
Parry
D. A.
1988
, “The molecular and fibrillar structure of collagen and its relationship to the mechanical properties of connective tissue
,” Biophys. Chem.
, Vol. 29
(1-2
), pp. 195
–209
.24.
Rigby
B. J.
Hirai
N.
Spikes
J. D.
Eyring
H.
1959
, “The mechanical properties of rat tail tendon
,” J. Gen. Phys.
, Vol. 43
, pp. 265
–283
.25.
Schnieke
A.
Harbes
K.
Jaenisch
R.
1983
, “Embryonic lethal mutation in mice induced by retrovirus insertion into the alpha1 (I) collagen gene
,” Nature
, Vol. 304
, pp. 315
–320
.26.
Scott
J. E.
Orford
C. R.
Hughes
E. W.
1981
, “Proteoglycan-collagen arrangements in developing rat tail tendon. An electron microscopical and biochemical investigation
,” Biochem. J.
, Vol. 195
(3
), pp. 573
–81
.27.
Shrive
N.
Chimich
D.
Marchuk
L.
Wilson
J.
Brant
R.
Frank
C.
1995
, “Soft-tissue “flaws” are associated with the material properties of the healing rabbit medial collateral ligament
,” J. Orthop. Res.
, Vol. 13
, pp. 923
–929
.28.
Torp, S., Baer, E., and Friedman, B., 1975, “Effects of age and of mechanical deformation on the ultrastructure of tendon,” Structure of Fibrous Biopolymers, E. D. T. Atkins and A. Keller, eds., Butterworths, London, Ch. 14, pp. 223–250.
29.
Trotter
J. A.
Koob
T. J.
1989
, “Collagen and proteoglycan in a sea urchin ligament with mutable mechanical properties
,” Cell Tiss. Res.
, Vol. 258
, pp. 527
–539
.30.
Woo
S. L.
Gomez
M. A.
Woo
Y. K.
Akeson
W. H.
1982
, “Mechanical properties of tendons and ligaments. II. The relationships of immobilization and exercise on tissue remodeling
,” Biorheology
, Vol. 19
, pp. 397
–408
.31.
Woo
S. L.
Peterson
R. H.
Ohland
K. J.
Sites
T. J.
Danto
M. I.
1990
, “The effects of strain rate on the properties of the medial collateral ligament in skeletally immature and mature rabbits: a biomechanical and histological study
,” J. Orthop. Res.
, Vol. 8
(5
), pp. 712
–21
.
This content is only available via PDF.
Copyright © 1999
by The American Society of Mechanical Engineers
You do not currently have access to this content.
