Biomechanics of articular cartilage
Introduction
Three types of joints= fibrous, cartilaginous and
synovial
Large degree of motion?
Hyaline Cartilage
articular cartilage
larynx
rib and costal cartilage
nasal septum
Elastic Cartilage
Epiglottis, external ear, certain parts of larynx.
Fibro cartilage= transitional cartilage
Intervertebral disk= annulus fibrosis
meniscus
Articular Cartilage
Important to understand
Mechanical properties of normal cartilage
Manner by which biochemical and structural factors
contribute to the material properties of cartilage
Manner by which changes in tissue composition affect
the mechanical properties of cartilage
Functions of articular cartilage
Diarthrodial joint- Fibrous capsule- Inside lined with
synovium which secretes synovial fluid.
Distributes joint load over wide area – reduction of
stresses sustained by contacting surfaces.
Allow relative movement of opposing joint surfaces
with minimal friction and wear.
Composition and structure of Articular
Cartilage
Microstructure (Solid and Fluid Phase)
Mainly composed of extracellular matrix (ECM)
ECM largely comprised of water, proteoglycans, and
collagens
Low cellularity with only cell type being chondrocytes
No blood vessels, lymphatic channels or nerves in
cartilage
Chondrocytes – less than 10% of the tissue volume
Zonal distribution
Manufacture, secrete, organize and maintain organic
components of ECM.
Responsible for increase is ECM volume in growing
cartilage and maintenance of the ECM in mature
cartilage
Organic matrix
mostly type 2 collagen, with minor amounts of 5 , 6,
9,11 types = 15 – 20% by wet weight.
Concentrated solution of Proteoglycans (PGs)= 4 –
7% by wet weight.
60- 80% water, inorganic salts and small amounts of
other matrix proteins, glycoproteins and lipids.
PGs and collagen fibrils form the structural
components of significant strength- support the
internal mechanical stresses .
Collagen
Collagen: made up of molecules (tropocollagen) that
polymerize to form fibrils.
Alpha triple helical structure
Comprises over 50% of the dry weight
Major type is type II (95%), however types V, VI, IX,
X, and XI present in small amounts
Provides tensile and sheer properties of the tissue and
immobilizes proteoglycans in the ECM
Tightly cross linked intra and inter-molecularly (type
IX thought to play major role)
Collagen Structure
Structure and Composition
Collagen is inhomogeously distributed within the
articular cartilage
Layered structure/ character- four distinct zones
The superficial tangential zone
The transitional or middle zone
The deep zone
The zone of calcified cartilage
Superficial zone
The Superficial Zone-Collagen fibrils parallel to joint
surface
Chondrocytes elongated and elliptical with long axis
parallel to joint
Low Proteoglycans content
High water content
10- 20 % of total thickness.
Transitional or middle Zone
Less organization of larger diameter collagen fibrils
Chondrocytes more rounded
Greater distance between the less organized and
homogenous fibres.
40 – 60% of total thickness.
Deep Zone
Even larger diameter collagen fibrils organized
perpendicular to joint
Highest proteoglycan content
Lowest water content
Chondrocytes spherical
30 % of total thickness
Zone of Calcified Cartilage
Separates the articular cartilage from subchondral
bone- interlocking root system anchoring the cartilage
to the underlying bone.
A line called the tidemark can be seen with
histological stains and separates this zone from the
deep zone
Like rings in a tree, the number of tidemarks increase
with age
Anisotropic fibre orientation
Inhomogeneous Zonal variation, highest at the surface
then constant throughout the deeper zones.
Layering= distribution of stresses more uniformly.
The most important property is tensile stiffness and
strength
Single collagen fibril has not been tested so structures
with highest collagen content e.g. Tendon 80 % tested.
Easy for them to buckle under compressive loads.
Anisotropic= varying collagen fiber arrangements,
collagen fibre cross link density as well as collagen PG
interactions.
Proteoglycans (PGs)
Protein core with bounded glycosaminoglycan chains
“GAGS” (chondroitin sulfate, keratan sulfate,
dermatan sulfate)
GAGS responsible for ionic charges and requires free
counter ions in the water.
Proteoglycans
Proteoglycan Aggregates/ Aggrecan
Many proteoglycans bound to hyaluronate by link protein at
the GI globular domain
Bind with collagen to form the ECM and form a fibrillar
meshwork responsible for resistance to flow responsible for
mechanical properties of the tissue.
Proteoglycan Aggregates/ Aggrecan
Proteoglycan: protein with bound side chains
(glycosaminoglycans)
Protein core
Hyaloronic acid
Hyaloronic acid binding region (HABR).
Link protein= stabilization
Chondroitin sulphate (CS)
Keratan Sulphate
Aggrecans consist of an approximately 200 nm long
protein core to which approximately 150 GAG chains, and
both O linked and N linked oligosaccharides are
covalently attached.
Aggregation promotes immobilization of PGs adding
structural stability and rigidity to ECM
Heterogeneous distribution of GAGs.
Rich region in KS and oligosaccharides
Region rich in CS
Three globular regions. G1, G2, G3
G1= between HABR and small amount of Keratan
Sulphate , few oligosaccharides
G2= between HABR and rich KS region
G3= core protein C terminus
Aggregates may have several hundred Aggrecans attached
non covalently to the central HA core via their HABR and
each site is stabilized by LINK protein.
Aggrecans are structurally non identical.
Water
Most abundant component
Most concentration near the articular surface= 80 %
65% in deeper zone.
Free mobile cations( Na, K, Ca)
Essential for appropriate function of articular
cartilage= avascular structure
Moved through the ECM by a pressure gradient
Frictional resistance to flow by small pore size within
the ECM creates a pressurization of the fluid
Flow through the ECM provide nutrient transport and
source of joint lubrication
Water
Very large pressure required to move water
through normal cartilage.
Affinity of cartilage for water is governed by
hydrophilic charges on proteoglycans.
Constant with age
Increases with OA or degeneration
Most of the water resides in interfibrillar space,
small percentage is intracellularly, and 30%
strongly associated with the collagen fibrils.
Water
Structural organization of ECM and swelling
properties.
Under the effect of compressive force approx. 70 %
water may be moved.
Helpful in controlling cartilage mechanical behaviour
and joint lubrication.
Structural and physical interaction among
cartilage Components.
The chemical structure and physical interactions of
PGs influence the properties of the ECM
The Sulphate and Carboxyl charge groups on CS and
KS.
Inter, intra molecular charge charge repulsive forces=
Donnan osmotic pressure.
Electroneutrality for existence.
Counter ions and Co ions.
Na, Cl, Ca
Formation of cloud surrounding fixed sulphate and
carboxyl charges, thus shielding these charges.
The net result is the swelling pressure
Biomechanical behaviour of articular
cartilage
Multiphasic medium= best understood
Present context= biphasic material
Interstitial fluid phase
porous, permeable solid phase ( ECM).
Three distinct phases: a fluid phase, an ion phase and a
charged solid phase.
