纤维状结构是生物组织的一种基本结构形式。疾病的发生和演化常常伴随着纤维状结构空间取向的相应变化。对生物组织内纤维状结构空间取向的定量表征方法和主要应用进行了简单综述,着重介绍了空间取向信息在几种重要疾病模型中的研究进展,包括伤口愈合、骨关节炎、乳腺癌、腹膜癌扩散、脑损伤等,并在特定的人工组织模型中探究了组织结构与功能的关系。对生物组织纤维状结构的高灵敏、高精度描述,为研究疾病的发生和演化提供了新思路和手段,有望实现特定疾病的早期诊断和病理机制的深入理解。最后,对该方法的应用前景进行了展望。

Fiber-like structure is one of the basic structures found in biological tissues. The spatial orientations of fiber-like structures change with the initiation and progression of some diseases. In this study, we present a brief overview of quantitative orientation analysis methods for fiber-like structures within biological tissues and main applications of these methods. We especially focus on the research progress of spatial orientation information in important disease models, including wound healing, osteoarthritis, breast cancer, peritoneal metastasis, and brain injury. Additionally, we explore the relations between tissue structure and function via specific engineered tissues. A highly sensitive and highly accurate description of the fiber-like structures within biological tissues serves as a novel method for studying disease initiation and progression, shows potential for early disease diagnosis, and improves our understanding of the mechanisms underlying some disorders. Finally, future potential applications of the orientation analysis methods are explored.