Regeneration of rabbit calcaneal tendon

Summary

The regenerated tissue which fills the gap between the stumps of sectioned and unsutured rabbit calcaneal tendon was studied by immuno-fluorescence, light and electron microscopy from 2 days to 30 weeks after surgery. In the early stages, the newly formed tissue consisted of few connective tissue cells of variable shape dispersed in an abundant intercellular matrix. At 7 days after tenotomy most of the cells were spindle shaped and arranged along the major tendon axis. They showed a well developed rough endoplasmic reticulum, a prominent Golgi complex and bundles of thin and thick filaments. Moreover, they appeared intensely stained when treated with anti-actin and anti-myosin sera. The bulk of the intercellular matrix consisted of bundles of collagen fibers, mostly arranged parallel to the cells.

In the subsequent stages the regenerating tissue became more compact, acquiring the morphological characteristics of tendon tissue. At 30 weeks after tenotomy, however, it did not show yet the typical texture of the normal adult tendon. The tenocytes were more numerous and less uniformly distributed, and contained a greater amount of ergastoplasm and contractile proteins. The collagen fibers were similar in size to those of the neonatal normal tendon and the elastic fibers appeared often immature.

These findings suggest that, at least on the experimental conditions under which this study was performed, the regenerated tendon does not acquire the typical morphology of the normal adult tendon, possibly owing to the reduced mechanical stress acting on it.