Author(s)

Peter Chin Wan Fung^1*, Regina Kit Chee Kong²

¹Division of Medical Physics, Department of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
²School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.

We analyze the crucial biochemical and biophysical properties of the basic constituents—connective tissues (CT), and interstitial fluid (IF) constituting the non-cellular part of the fascia. We provide ample evidence that the resident cells and cells in transit in the fascia are continuously interacting with the non-cellular constituents to form an active organ with well-defined functions. We show evidence that pathological states of diseases of internal organs, as well as that of the constituents of the fascia itself, manifest in certain CTIF domains of the fascia. Numerous diseases originate from imbalance of the digestion and synthesis of the native collagen triple helices. Review on the scanning electron microscopy examination of cross-section of tendons indicates that micro-fibrils of collagen I form regular geometrical structures, supporting the hypothesis that the collagen fibrils assemble like liquid crystals. Information on the age of Achilles tendons has been reported, based on dating of the ¹⁴C atoms generated from the nuclear bomb tests in 1955-1963. The causes of spontaneous tendon rupture and tendinopathy are analyzed. Plausible clinical measures to treat tendinopathy are briefly discussed, including the application of synthetic mechano-growth factor, glyceryl trinitrate patch (to supply nitric oxide), platelet rich plasma, proteomic profile analysis and microRNA 29a therapy.

Fascia, Mechanotransduction, Collagen Degradation and Synthesis, Durotaxis of Cells, Self-Assembly of Tropocollagen, Thermal Stability of Collagen, Fibroblasts, Stem Cells, Proteoglycans, Glycoproteins, Interstitial Fluid, Achilles Tendon, Tendinopathy

Fung, P. and Kong, R. (2019) Manifestation of Pathological States of Numerous Diseases in the Largest Organ of the Human Body: (I) Basics and the Diseases of Tendon. International Journal of Clinical Medicine, 10, 183-249. doi: 10.4236/ijcm.2019.103018.