Age related changes in the menisci of the human knee joint

ABSTRACT

The menisci of 15 human knee joints of both sexes were used in this study, of which 5 were full-term and other 10 ranged in age from 15-65 years. In adults and old-ages, the menisci were formed mainly of collagen bundles and chondroid tissue. The collagen fibers were arranged circumferentially, with occasional fibers were radially and vertically oriented. The intercellular cartilage matrix was abundant. Blood vessels were found only in the peripheral one-third. The major changes from full-term to adult and old-ages menisci were a progressive decrease in vascularity decrease in cellularity and increase in chondroid tissue. A discussion of the results was performed