This investigation was devoted to the study of a natural phenomenon-low friction in living joints-and development of synthetic lubricants. The experiments conducted allowed us to establish that the known property of synovia to ensure the high antifrictional ability of joint cartilages is provided by the realization of a liquid-crystalline state of the lubricant in the friction zone that was unknown before. An idea was advanced that molecules of liquid-crystalline cholesterol compounds found in synovia are arranged with their longer axis aligned with prevailing microgroove locomotions on cartilage surfaces to make a liquid-crystalline nematic phase, thus reducing energy dissipation during relative motion of contacting cartilages and leading to the medicative effect revealed by experimentation.
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a complex, age dependent disease in which various factors, including metabolic changes, are all major contributors to its onset and progression. Anatomically, OA embraces the whole joint, i.e. articular cartilage, subchondral bone alterations and joint-lining synovial membrane. Correspondingly, OA development involves elaborate interactions of cartilaginous tissue metabolism and maintenance, osteogenesis, mineralization and inflammation of the synovial membrane. Identification of the molecular pathways and individual factors involved in OA etiology, understanding of mechanisms of their action and interaction are necessary conditions for developing the accurate diagnostic and prognostic tools and for providing OA patients effective treatment. There is a major progress in understanding of the molecular mechanisms of OA appearance and progression, which are pointing out to the network of biochemical factors important for normal functioning of the joints and changes leading to OA. The present review summarizes the data on the efficacy of the relevant biochemical factors affecting all the components of the joint and that could be therefore useful targets in treatment of OA. However, despite the dramatic growth of the knowledge concerning the biochemistry of OA and discovery of a number of useful biomarkers the real breakthrough in this area is still not achieved.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.