Articular cartilage functional histomorphology and mechanobiology: a research perspective

Wong, Maylene; Carter, D.R

doi:10.1016/s8756-3282(03)00083-8

Cited by 308 publications

(238 citation statements)

References 102 publications

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“…Mechanical stress on the articular cartilage activates chondrocytes, inducing the synthesis of proteoglycan 25) , and increasing the amounts of cAMP and cGMP 26) . Furthermore, the invasion of the subchondral bone is inhibited by transient fluid pressures such as periodic stress related to muscle contraction around the joint occurring in deep layers of the cartilage 27,28) . Therefore, the mechanical stresses provide by articular movement and loads are important for the restoration of articular cartilage 29,30) .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Histopathological Changes in Knee Joint Components after Spinal Cord Injury in Rats

et al. 2012

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Abstract.[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to examine the histopathological changes in knee joint components after spinal cord injury (SCI) in rats. [Subjects and Methods] Eighteen adult, nine-week-old female Wistar rats were used in this study. Nine experimental rats underwent a spinal cord transection at the level of Th8-9 and the other nine control rats were raised normally. The animals were assessed at 1, 2 and 4 weeks after surgery. Formalin fixed sections from knee joints were morphologically examined after hematoxylin and eosin staining. Alterations of knee joint components were evaluated at four regions: the synovial membrane within the posterior articular capsule region, the cartilage apposite the femur, the cartilage apposite the tibia, and the fat pad under the patellar ligament region.[Results] Dilatation and congestion of the microvasculature and lymphoid infiltration were observed in the synovial membrane in the SCI group. These findings are similar to those found in early osteoarthritis. The surface layer of the articular cartilage in the SCI group showed fibrous proliferation. [Conclusion] The histopathological changes appear not to be progressive and may be related to spasticity of the hindlimb or a disorder in the autonomic function.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Histopathological Changes in Knee Joint Components after Spinal Cord Injury in Rats

et al. 2012

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“…Biomechanical forces and their mechanotransduction are an important modulator in the development (Heegaard et al, 1999;Wong and Carter, 2003), differentiation (Brama et al, 2000;Little and Ghosh, 1997), and maintenance of articular cartilage (Grodzinsky et al, 2000;Lane Smith et al, 2000;Smith et al, 1995). During skeletal development, the morphogenesis of articular cartilage is regulated by mechanical forces, resulting in the formation of the four cartilage zones (Heegaard et al, 1999;Wong and Carter, 2003).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…During skeletal development, the morphogenesis of articular cartilage is regulated by mechanical forces, resulting in the formation of the four cartilage zones (Heegaard et al, 1999;Wong and Carter, 2003). The biochemical content of these zones is further modulated by a functional adaptation of the extracellular matrix to weight bearing (Brama et al, 2000).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Distinct horizontal patterns in the spatial organization of superficial zone chondrocytes of human joints

Rolauffs

Williams

Grodzinsky

et al. 2008

Journal of Structural Biology

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A better understanding of the unique cellular and functional properties of the superficial zone of articular cartilage may aid current strategies in tissue engineering which attempts a layered design for the repair of cartilage lesions to avert or postpone the onset of osteoarthritis. However, data pertaining to the cellular organization of non-degenerated superficial zone of articular cartilage is not available for most human joints. The present study analyzed the arrangement of chondrocytes of non-degenerated human joints (shoulder, elbow, knee, and ankle) by using fluorescence microscopy of the superficial zone in a top-down view. The resulting horizontal chondrocyte arrangements were tested for randomness, homogeneity or a significant grouping via point pattern analysis and were correlated with the joint type in which they occurred. The present study demonstrated that human superficial chondrocytes occurred in four distinct patterns of strings, clusters, pairs or single chondrocytes. Those patterns represented a significant grouping (p<0.0001) with horizontal alignment. Each articular joint surface was dominated by only one of these four patterns (p<0.001). Specific patterns correlated with specific diarthrodial joint types (p<0.001). Further studies need to establish whether these organizational patterns are a consequence of their surrounding environment or whether they are linked to a functional purpose.

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“…The specific cell and ECM organization within each cartilage zone can be attributed to developmental history and to the mechanical forces to which each zone is subjected, thereby supporting the overall functionality of articular cartilage tissue. [8][9][10][11][12][13] Osteoarthritis, trauma, aging, and developmental disorders commonly result in degeneration or even loss of hyaline cartilage, which has no or little ability of self-repair due to the lack of vasculature. It has been shown that early stages of osteoarthritis and age-associated weakening can lead to alterations of the thin surface or superficial zone of articular cartilage (*200 mm in depth), and its damage.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chondrogenic Differentiation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Oriented Nanofibrous Scaffolds: Engineering the Superficial Zone of Articular Cartilage

Wise

Yarin

Megaridis

et al. 2009

Tissue Engineering Part A

218

168

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Cell differentiation, adhesion, and orientation are known to influence the functionality of both natural and engineered tissues, such as articular cartilage. Several attempts have been devised to regulate these important cellular behaviors, including application of inexpensive but efficient electrospinning that can produce patterned extracellular matrix (ECM) features. Electrospun and oriented polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds (500 or 3000 nm fiber diameter) were created, and human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) were cultured on these scaffolds. Cell viability, morphology, and orientation on the fibrous scaffolds were quantitatively determined as a function of time. While the fiber-guided initial cell orientation was maintained even after 5 weeks, cells cultured in the chondrogenic media proliferated and differentiated into the chondrogenic lineage, suggesting that cell orientation is controlled by the physical cues and minimally influenced by the soluble factors. Based on assessment by the chondrogenic markers, use of the nanofibrous scaffold (500 nm) appears to enhance the chondrogenic differentiation. These findings indicate that hMSCs seeded on a controllable PCL scaffold may lead to an alternate methodology to mimic the cell and ECM organization that is found, for example, in the superficial zone of articular cartilage.

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Articular cartilage functional histomorphology and mechanobiology: a research perspective

Cited by 308 publications

References 102 publications

Histopathological Changes in Knee Joint Components after Spinal Cord Injury in Rats

Histopathological Changes in Knee Joint Components after Spinal Cord Injury in Rats

Distinct horizontal patterns in the spatial organization of superficial zone chondrocytes of human joints

Chondrogenic Differentiation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Oriented Nanofibrous Scaffolds: Engineering the Superficial Zone of Articular Cartilage

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