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Multimodal and multiscale characterization reveals how tendon structure and mechanical response are altered by
Maria Pierantoni1, Isabella Silva Barreto1, Malin Hammerman2
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lund University, Box 118, 221 00 Lund, Sweden.
Acta Biomaterialia
|July 21, 2023
Summary
Reduced loading makes rat Achilles tendons less organized and stiffer, increasing injury risk. This study reveals how inactivity impacts tendon structure and mechanics across multiple scales.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanical Engineering
- Connective Tissue Biology
- Materials Science
Background:
- Tendons adapt to mechanical loads, but prolonged inactivity causes stiffness and injury.
- The precise relationship between reduced loading, tendon structure, and mechanical function remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how reduced mechanical loading affects the structural properties and mechanical response of rat Achilles tendons.
- To elucidate the multi-scale relationship between in vivo loading, nano- to meso-scale structure, and mechanical behavior.
Main Methods:
- Mechanical testing of rat Achilles tendons.
- High-resolution synchrotron X-ray imaging and scattering techniques.
- Histological analysis.
Main Results:
- Reduced in vivo loading resulted in increased fiber crimp and disorganization.
- Structural inhomogeneity correlated with altered mechanical response and fibril behavior.
- Cell density was reduced in unloaded tendons.
Conclusions:
- Reduced loading alters Achilles tendon structure and mechanical properties across multiple hierarchical levels.
- Findings provide insights into mechanoregulation and tissue organization in collagenous tissues.
- Results inform rehabilitation strategies for immobilized tendons by considering structural changes.
