The "epiligament" of the rabbit medial collateral ligament: a quantitative morphological study.

The thin layer of connective tissue covering ligaments--the epiligament--has not been well described. The aim of the present study was to define, describe, and quantify the structure of the epiligament of the rabbit medial collateral ligament (MCL) using polarized light, scanning-electron, transmission-electron microscopy, and computerized histomorphometry. Epiligament was composed of woven bundles of collagen fibers, 3 morphologically-distinct cell types (spinous-shaped cells, cuboidal-shaped cells, and fat cells), and a neurovascular network that periodically arborized into the MCL. The areal fraction of vessels was significantly greater in the epiligament than in the MCL. The epiligament was significantly thicker on the superficial surface of the MCL than the deep surface, and the thickness of epiligament changed significantly during skeletal growth. Based on these structural features we speculate that the epiligament serves several important functions including: (1) protecting the MCL against abrasion, (2) supporting the neurovasculature, (3) controlling water and metabolite flux into the epiligament and possibly the MCL, and (4) being a source of extracellular matrix, cells, and vasculature during ligament growth and during ligament healing.