BIOMECHANICS OF THE ARTICULAR CARTILAGE

Index

INTRODUCTION COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE OF ARTICULAR CARTILAGE BIOMECHANICAL BEHAVIOUR OF ARTICULAR CARTILAGE LUBRICATION OF ARTICULAR CARTILAGE WEAR OF ARTICULAR CARTILAGE

INTRODUCTION
DEFINITION- it is thin, dense, translucent, white connective tissue covering the end of the articulating bone of diarthrodial joint. Highly specialized tissue Precisely suited for withstanding highly loaded joint environment. It is iIsolated tissue , devoid of blood vessels, Lymphatic channel and neurological innervation. Very low cellular density.

FUNCTION:

It helps to distribute the loads b/w opposing bones by increasing contact area across a synovial joint. 2) It provides a bearing surface to allow movement with minimum friction and wear.

1)

Indirectly it prevents damage to bone that might occur because of excessively large stress or energy inputs or from abrasive wear.

Composition & structure of articular cartilage

Mainly

1.Proteoglycan(PG) 4 to 7 % 2.collagen 15 to 22 % 3.Water Inorganic salts Matrix protein 60 to 85 % Glycoprotein Lipids

3 components are there.

collagen
Most abundant protein in the body. Tropocollagen basic biological unit

collagen. it is structure composed of 3 procollagen polypeptide chains coiled into left handed helix that are further coiled about each other into right handed helix. 1.4 nm in diameter tropocollagen 300 nm long molecule Fibril 25 to 40 nm diameter.

of

separate structural zones 1. Superficial tangential zone 10 to 20 % 2. Middle zone 40 to 60% 3. Deep zone 30 %

 1)

STZ- chondrocytes are parallel to the articular surface in dense pattern. zone chondrocytes are randomly oriented. there are greater distance b/w them

2)middle

3)

Deep zone chondrocytes come together and arranged in columnar fashion like bundles Oriented perpendicular to tide mark. Tidemark demarcation b/w calcified & non calcified tissue

These

bundles then cross the tidemark, the interface b/w A.C beneath it, to enter the calcified cartilage. Which form interlocking root system anchoring the A.C to the underlying bone.

 Like

bone, its material properties differ with the direction of loading. Split line arranged in different directions according to directional variation of tensile stiffness & strength.

proteoglycan
It

is large protein polysaccharide molecule composed of a protein core to which one or more glycosaminoglycan (GAG) are attached.

 Aggrecans

are attached to a hyaluronan molecule via a specific HA binding region (HABR) which binding is stabilized by link protein. This stabilization is crucial, without is all component of PG would rapidly escape from tissue. Aggrecancontains 1) Chondroitin sulfate (CS) 2) Keratin sulfate (KS) In one CS chain 25 to 30 disaccharide unit of CS In one KS chain 13 disaccharide unit of KS Known as BOTTLE BRUSH model. There is 3 globular regions G1, G2 & G3.

 There

is 2 population of aggrcans. 1) throughout life rich in CS 2) only in adult cartilage rich in KS

With

increase of age, water content & carbohydrate/protein ratio progressively decrease. ratio is- 10:1 at birth 2:1 in adult life

CS/KS

 Most

abundant component of A.C. , concentrated near articular surface. Function : 1) contains NA+, K+ & Ca+ which greatly influence the mechanics & physiochemical behaviors of cartilage. 2) essential to health of avasculartissue which permits gas, nutrient & waste product movement back & forth b/w chondrocytes & synovial fluid.

water

Most

of water occupies interfibrillar space of ECM & is free to move when load or pressure are applied to tissue. Thus approximately 70% of water may be moved. fluid movement is imp. In controlingcartilage mechanical behavior & joint lubrication.

This

Structural & physical interaction among cartilage components.

This

interaction are of great functional inportance. The interaction b/w collagen, PG and water, via Donnanosmotic pressure , regulating the structural organization of the ECM & its swelling properties. Concentration of negative charge of molecule create strong intramolecular & intermolecular charge charge repulsive force. Sum of these forces are equivalent to Donnan osmotic pressure.

 C.C.R.F

tend to extend & stiffen the PG macromolecules into interfibrillar space. This electrical repulsion is one million milion million million million million million times greater than gravitational forces. When a extrenalcompressive stress is applied to articular cartilage cause increase internal presure in matrix result in exceed the swelling pressure

Thus

liquid will begin to flow out of the tissue. Increase in PG concentration

increase Donnan osmotic swelling pressure increase charge charge repulsive force increase bulk compressive stress Until they are in equilibrium with external stress

BIOMECHANICAL BEHAVIOR OF ARTUICULAR CARTILAGE.

1)

Nature of A.C. viscoelasticity 2) Confined compression loading configuration 3) Biphasic creep response of A.C. in compression 4) Biphasic stress relaxation response of A.C in compresion 5) Permeability of A.C. 6)behavior of A.C. under uniaxial tension

 Biomechanical

features of articular cartilage are difficult to analyze on mechanical basis.. we can compare it to water saturated sponge. cartilage will be treated as biphasic model. 1) Solid phase 2) Fluid phase

So, Articular

Solid

phase: all solid components like collagen, PG & lipids are lumped together to constitute solid phase. incompressible elastic

material

Fluid

phase: made up by interstitial fluid i.e. free to move through matrix.

incompressible & inviscid( no viscosity)

During Joint articulation, forces at joint surface may vary from almost 0 to 10 times body weight. Contact areas also vary in orders of several square c.m. E.g. peak contact 20 Mpain hip joint during stress rising from chair. 10 Mpa during stair climbing. Mechanical response of cartilage like compressive stiffness are strongly tied with several factors like 1) Mutual repulsive force. 2)Aggregation of PG. 3) Flow of fluid through tissue.

 If

NATURE OF ATICULAR CARTILAGE VISCOELASTICITY

material is subjected to action of constant load or constant deformation

mechanical behavior of material is known as viscoelastic is 2 fundamental responses of viscoelastic material. stress

There

creep response relaxation response

Creep response response needed to tissue when constant applied load is applied to displacement. cartilage. high deformation occur followed by a followed by slow progressive stress progressive deformarion rapid of

stress relaxation stress (force) maintain the constant

Displacement

initially

initially rapid, stress slow

 We

can compare these mechanism with spring also.

In

creep, under constant load deformation is not instantaneous.

Because

it is related to flow of fluid which cant escape from matrix instantaneously. At equilibrium, displacement stops & fluid flow has also stopped.

which

takes several thousand seconds to reach equilibrium

Confined compression test

Fo r b e tte r u n d e rsta n d i g o f b e h a vi r o f n o ti e u n d e r l a d , co n fi e d co m p re ssi n h a s ssu o n o b e e n a d o p te d .

 This

test is one of the commonly used method for determining properties of A.C. A cylindrical cartilage tissue specimen is cut from the joint & placed into impervious smooth walled container.

Motion

& fluid flow loss in radical direction are prohibited by confining ring.

Tissue

is loaded through porous plate ( load should be constant throughout & maintained for 1000 sec)

 Fluid Cartilage

will flow from the tissue into porous permeable plate sample will compress in creep

At Which

any time amount of compression equals the volume of fluid loss. know as equilibrium state.

BIPHASIC CREEP RESPONSE OF A.C. IN COMPRESSION

I th i exp e ri e n t co n sta n t co m p re ssi n s m ve stre ss i a p p l e d to ti e a t ti e to & the 0 s i ssu m tissue is allowed to creep to its final equilibrium strain

 During

creep applied external load is balanced by compressive stress developed within collagen & PG solid matrix. Flow of fluid during exudation. Creep ceases when compressive stress within material is sufficient to balance the applied stress. (equilibrium)

 Thick

human or bovine A.C., 2.4 mm takes 4 to 16 hours to reach creep equilibrium. for rabbit cartilage, <10 mm takes 1 hour for it. time it takes to reach creep equilibrium is inversely proportional to thickness of tissue.

But

So,

Under

high loading condition 50% of total fluid content may be squeezed from tissue. Which is fully reversible when load is removed.

BIPHASIC STRESS RELAXATION RESPONSE OF A.C. IN COMPRESSION

S tre ss ri i cre e p p h a se i a sso ci te d w i se n s a th fl i exu d a ti n . u d o w h i e stre ss re l xa ti n i a sso ci te d w i l a o s a th fl i re d i b u ti n w i i p o ro u s so l d m a tri . u d stri o th n i x

 During

physiological loading condition, excessive stress levels lead to rapid spreading of the contact area in the joint during articulation

Fluid

filled porous material may be or may not be permeable. Porosity : ratio of fluid volume (Vf ) to total volume (Vt)of porous material.

PERMEABILITY OF ARTICULAR CARTILAGE

geomtric concept. A.C is material of high porosity If pores are interconnected, porous material is permeable.

Permeability:

measure of ease with which fluid can flow through a porous material.

it is inversely proportional to Frictional drag exerted by fluid Flowing through porous Permeable material.

physical concept

 Permeability

is measure of resistive force that is required to cause the fluid to flow at given speed through porous material. frictional resistive force is generated by interaction of interstitial fluid & pore walls of material has very low permeability & thus high frictional resistive force are generated when fluid flow occur. experimental method we can directly measure permeability coefficient (k).

Where

A.C

By

S p e ci e n o f A . C . ti e i h e l fi d i a m ssu s d xe n ch a m b e r w i ri i p o ro u s b l ck th g d o

pressure (p1) is more than downstream pressure (p2) Darcys Law is used to find out (k) coefficient k = Qh A(p1- p2) Q volumetric discharge per unit time h thickness of specimen A cross sectional area of permeation
Upstream

 Average

pore diameter - 6 nm relevance with biomechanics As compaction of the solid matrix increase it will decrease porosity & pore diameter. increase frictional resistance

So,

it will be more difficult to cause fluid exudation. So, whenever high load is applied through increased frictional drag of fluid which make tissue stiffer.

Increase

capacity of interstitial fluid to support load.

 The

tissue is being stiffer & stronger for specimen harvested parallel to direction of split line than those harvested perpendicular to split line. The tissue is being stiffer and stronger for specimen harvested from superficial region than deeper region.

BEHAVIOR OF A.C. UNDER UNIAXIAL TENSION

Because

superficial zone is collagen rich zone which provide tough wear resistive protective skin.

 Organization

of the collagen fibers or collagen fiber cross-linking is responsible for the tension bearing capacity of A.C. it is altered , the progressive deterioration of tensile properties occur which cause degradation of A.C. from mild fibrillation to OA.

If

key factor of development of OA Loosening of collagen network lead to increase swelling and water content.

Lubrication

is very essential to prevent damage or destruction of the articular cartilage. Help to protect the A.C.

LUBRICATION OF A.C.

Mainly

3 types

1) fluid film lubrication 2) boundary lubrication 3) mixed lubrications

 1) fluid film lubrication: Involves thin fluid film b/w

surface. It maintains a bearing surface separation. Load on bearing is then supported by pressure developed in fluid film. This lubrication mechanism requires minimum fluid film thickness.

2) boundary lubrication : Involves monolayer of lubricant

2 articular

molecules adsorbed on each bearing surface. Prevent direct surface to surface contact .

 Load

is carried by a monolayer of lubricating glycoprotein(LGP), which is adsorbed on articular surfaces. Help to reduce friction and help to prevent cartilaginous wear.

3)

Mixed lubrication : involves both lubrication mechanism.

Fluid film and boundary lubrication occurs at spatially distinct location. Boundary lubrication at area of contact are responsible for generation of friction. Fluid film lubrication at areas of non contact carries most of load.

WEAR OF ARTICULAR CARTILAGE

Wear:

unwanted removal of material from solid surface by mechanical 3 typ e s o f w e a r action.

a re m a i l n y o ccu r..

1 ) I te rfa ci l n a w ear 2) fa ti u e w e a r g 3 ) w e a r b y ra p i , d hi h l ad g o

 1)

Occurs when bearing surfaces come into direct contact with no lubrication film separating them. Wear can take place in 2 ways..

Interfacial wear :

adhesion wear

abrasive wear occurs when soft is scraped by harder material either opposing or particle.

During contact , surface material fragments adhere to harder one, each other & torn off can be from surface during surface sliding.

 Impaired

or degenerated synovial joint are most commonest site for interfacial wear.

Because

there is ultra structural defects in surface of joint. which lead to more softer & permeable cartilage with decrease in mass. fluid from lubricant film separating the bearing surfaces may leak away more easily loss of lubricating fluid induce direct contact of bearing surfaces wear

 Fatigue

wear : results not from surface to surface contact, but from repetitive stressing to bearing material. Occur by 1) repeated high loading in short period 2) repeated low loading over extended time

Can

take place even in well- lubricated surface. occurs because of disruption of collagen- PG solid matrix by repetitive stress during specific joint movement.

Mainly

3) If

Wear by rapid high loading:

loads are applied so quickly that there is insufficient time for internal fluid re- distribution to relieve compacted region cause collagen-PG matrix disruption. wear of articular cartilage

Which

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