Regional Glycosaminoglycan Coverage of Healthy Rabbit Menisci

The meniscus is an important load-bearing structure in the knee, as it provides load distribution and cushioning properties during weight-bearing activities. The compressive modulus and permeability of the meniscus is attributed to the tissue’s glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content, as charged proteoglycan side chains allow for tissue swelling and resistance to compression [1]. The distribution of sulphated GAGs throughout the meniscus has not been thoroughly documented. Although load differs across the knee joint, few researchers have investigated medial/lateral and coronal differences in meniscal architecture and GAG distribution [2, 3]. It is hypothesized that the distribution of positive histological staining for sulfated GAGs will differ across spatial regions of rabbit menisci. Primarily, it is hypothesized that regions of the menisci that likely see higher loading will demonstrate an increase in sulfated GAG-positive staining area.