Inervación propioceptiva en ligamentos de la rodilla del gato

The proprioceptive receptors are important nerve endings that are found mainly at musculotendinous junctions, ligaments and capsules of the articular joints. Their importance is linked with the fact that they provide the sensory-motor feedback for neurmuscular control. Therefore, more accurate inofrmation on the type, number and regenerative capacity of mechanoreceptors is of great value in traumatology. We studied the neuroanatomical structure of these receptors in cat knee ligaments, by means of metalic impregnation methods. This first communication contains our results with gold chloride. The motor end plates and neuromuscular spindles of tenuissimus muscle of the cat were employed for testing method modifications. This allowed us to reproduce results. The connective septa of collagen bundles show nerves containing 20 to 30 nerve fibers of the myelinic as well as amyelinic type; besides, free endings, branched or elongated structures resembling glomeruli, and corpuscles were observed. Free endings are very rare, and are found only next to blood vessels, whereas branched endings appear as spirals located between fat cells. Some coiled nerve fibres were observed on the surface of collagen fibers. Corpuscles of Ruffini are also presente at the connective septa. In general terms, a great variety in the structure of the receptors was observed. Our description of specific populations of nerve endings in car knee ligaments suggests that they do contribute to the afferent discharge providing information to the initiation of protective reflexs