VASCULATURE OF THE KNEE JOINT LIGAMENTS DURING PRENATAL ONTOGENESIS

Objective - to study the stages of development of the fibrostructure and vasculature of extra- and intraarticular ligaments of the human knee joint in their attachment areas in prenatal ontogenesis. Materials and methods. Knee joints obtained from autopsy of 100 human fetuses (both male and female) aged between 14 and 40 weeks of gestation were studied. The microcirculatory bed of the terminal divisions of the cruciate and collateral ligaments of the knee joint was examined on cryostat sections. Results. Areas of human fetal knee joint ligament attachment had a zonal structure, with the zones of ligament, fibrous and hyaline cartilage. During the development of these zones, the differentiation of the fibrous structures, cells and various parts of the microcirculatory bed occured. Conclusions. The development of vasculature of the extra- and intraarticular ligaments of the knee joint correlates with the degree of development of the joint and is determined by its functional activity as well as by fibro- and cytoarchitectonics of the attachment areas of the reinforcing structures.

knee joint, cruciate ligaments, collateral ligaments, microcirculatory bed, ontogenesis