The suprapatellar fat pad: A histotopographic comparative study

Author:

Stocco Elena12,Contran Martina1,Fontanella Chiara Giulia34,Petrelli Lucia1,Toniolo Ilaria3,Emmi Aron1,Romanato Filippo5,Porzionato Andrea1,De Caro Raffaele1ORCID,Macchi Veronica1

Affiliation:

1. Section of Human Anatomy, Department of Neurosciences University of Padova Padua Italy

2. Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Science and Public Health University of Padova Padua Italy

3. Department of Industrial Engineering University of Padova Padua Italy

4. Centre for Mechanics of Biological Materials University of Padova Padua Italy

5. Department of Physics and Astronomy ‘G. Galilei’ University of Padova Padua Italy

Abstract

AbstractThe suprapatellar fat pad is an adipose tissue located in the anterior knee whose role in osteoarthritis is still debated. Considering that anatomy drives function, the aim of this histotopographic study was to investigate the specific morphological features of the suprapatellar fat pad versus the infrapatellar fat pad in the absence of osteoarthritis, for a broad comparative analysis. Suprapatellar fat pad and infrapatellar fat pad tissue samples (n = 10/group) underwent microscopical/immunohistochemical staining and transmission electron microscopy analysis; thus, tissue‐specific characteristics (i.e., vessels and nerve endings presence, lobuli, adipocytes features, septa), including extracellular matrix proteins prevalence (collagens, elastic fibers), were focused. Multiphoton microscopy was also adopted to evaluate collagen fiber orientation within the samples by Fast Fourier Transform (coherency calculation). The absence of inflammation was confirmed, and comparable counted vessels and nerve endings were shown. Like the infrapatellar fat pad, the suprapatellar fat pad appeared as a white adipose tissue with lobuli and septa of comparable diameter and thickness, respectively. Tissue main characteristics were also proved by both semithin sections and transmission electron microscopy analysis. The suprapatellar fat pad adipocytes were roundish and with a smaller area, perimeter, and major axis than that of the infrapatellar fat pad. The collagen fibers surrounding them showed no significant difference in collagen type I and significantly higher values for collagen type III in the infrapatellar fat pad group. Regarding the septa, elastic fiber content was statistically comparable between the two groups, even though more represented by the suprapatellar fat pad. Total collagen was significantly higher in the infrapatellar fat pad and comparing collagen type I and type III they were similarly represented in the whole cohort despite collagen type I appearing to be higher in the infrapatellar fat pad than in the suprapatellar fat pad and vice versa for collagen type III. Second harmonic generation microscopy confirmed through coherency calculation an anisotropic distribution of septa collagen fibers. From a mechanical point of view, the different morphological characteristics determined a major stiffness for the infrapatellar fat pad with respect to the suprapatellar fat pad. This study provides, for the first time, a topographic description of the suprapatellar fat pad compared to the infrapatellar fat pad; differences between the two groups may be attributed to a different anatomical location within the knee; the results gathered here may be useful for a more complete interpretation of osteoarthritis disease, involving not only cartilage but the whole joint.

Publisher

Wiley

Subject

Cell Biology,Developmental Biology,Molecular Biology,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics,Histology,Anatomy

Cited by 1 articles. 订阅此论文施引文献 订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献

1. Role of joint adipose tissues in osteoarthritis;Annales d'Endocrinologie;2024-06

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