Fine sensory innervation of the knee joint capsule by group III and group IV nerve fibers in the cat.

Afferent group III and IV nerve fibers of the knee joint markedly differ in their responsiveness to mechanical stimulation, which may be reflected in the structure and location of their terminals. Therefore, in sympathectomized cats, the fine afferent innervation of the knee joint capsule was studied via ultrastructural three-dimensional reconstructions over distances of up to 300 microns. Small peripheral nerves and "free" (noncorpuscular) sensory nerve endings were found in a superficial layer of the outer fibrous part of the capsule, in the patellar retinaculum, and in the outer and inner surface layers of the medial collateral and patellar ligaments. Group III nerve fibers showed a proximal myelinated portion inside the nerve, an intermediate portion that lacks a myelin sheath and is only surrounded by perineurium, and a distal portion outside of the perineurium that forms the sensory ending proper. Group IV fibers showed only two distinct portions, an intraperineurial (proximal) and an extraperineurial (distal) portion without any further morphological differences. Outside of the perineurium, a network formed by Schwann cells ("Schwann cell reticulum") provides a pathway for the distal portion of the sensory axons. No distinct subgroups of the sensory terminal fibers could be defined according to the configuration of the Schwann cells and the nerve fiber terminals. Sensory terminals were located adjacent to different structures such as venous and lymphatic vessels, fat cells, and collagenous fibers. Distinct parts of the same terminal nerve fiber were found in close contact to a vessel wall; others were surrounded by dense collagenous tissue. Close to sensory endings, mast cells and mast cell-like cells were frequently found, indicating a functional relationship.