Fibre reinforcing by collagen in cartilage and soft connective tissues

Aspden, Richard M.

doi:10.1098/rspb.1994.0162

Cited by 45 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 28 publications

(30 reference statements)

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“…In contrast to these other hypotheses, plastic behavior at the fibril–matrix interface can reproduce the full multiscale dataset. The assumption of a constant interfibrillar shear stress is the simplest representation of interfibrillar plasticity [24–28,63]. We avoided using more complicated formulations that are based on the failure of specific components of the interfibrillar matrix because of the current controversy regarding the structural elements involved in load transfer between fibrils.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interfibrillar shear stress is the loading mechanism of collagen fibrils in tendon

2014

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Despite the critical role tendons play in transmitting loads throughout the musculoskeletal system, little is known about the microstructural mechanisms underlying their mechanical function. Of particular interest is whether collagen fibrils in tendon fascicles bear load independently or if load is transferred between fibrils through interfibrillar shear forces. We conducted multiscale experimental testing and developed a microstructural shear lag model to explicitly test whether interfibrillar shear load transfer is indeed the fibrillar loading mechanism in tendon. Experimental correlations between fascicle macroscale mechanics and microscale interfibrillar sliding suggest that fibrils are discontinuous and share load. Moreover, for the first time, we demonstrate that a shear lag model can replicate the fascicle macroscale mechanics as well as predict the microscale fibrillar deformations. Since interfibrillar shear stress is the fundamental loading mechanism assumed in the model, this result provides strong evidence that load is transferred between fibrils in tendon and possibly other aligned collagenous tissues. Conclusively establishing this fibrillar loading mechanism and identifying the involved structural components should help develop repair strategies for tissue degeneration and guide the design of tissue engineered replacements.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interfibrillar shear stress is the loading mechanism of collagen fibrils in tendon

2014

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“…For example, a comparison of collagen fibers of tibial plateau cartilage, showed that cartilage not covered by the meniscus were of more uniform diameter and more likely to be arranged in parallel bundles than cartilage under the meniscus [14]. Collagen provides the main tensile reinforcement in connective tissues [10,28]. Thus, changes in collagen uniformity and alignment are expected to compromise its ability to provide such reinforcement during dynamic loading.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Viscoelastic properties of bovine knee joint articular cartilage: dependency on thickness and loading frequency

Espino

Shepherd

Hukins

2014

BMC Musculoskelet Disord

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BackgroundThe knee is an incongruent joint predisposed to developing osteoarthritis, with certain regions being more at risk of cartilage degeneration even in non-osteoarthrosed joints.At present it is unknown if knee regions prone to cartilage degeneration have similar storage and/or loss stiffness, and frequency-dependent trends, to other knee joint cartilage. The aim of this study was to determine the range of frequency-dependent, viscoelastic stiffness of articular cartilage across the bovine knee joint. Such changes were determined at frequencies associated with normal and rapid heel-strike rise times.MethodsCartilage on bone, obtained from bovine knee joints, was tested using dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). DMA was performed at a range of frequencies between 1 and 88 Hz (i.e. relevant to normal and rapid heel-strike rise times). Viscoelastic stiffness of cartilage from the tibial plateau, femoral condyles and patellar groove were compared.ResultsFor all samples the storage stiffness increased, but the loss stiffness remained constant, with frequency. They were also dependent on cartilage thickness. Both the loss stiffness and the storage stiffness decreased with cartilage thickness. Femoral condyles had the thinnest cartilage but had the highest storage and loss stiffness. Tibial plateau cartilage not covered by the meniscus had the thickest cartilage and lowest storage and loss stiffness.ConclusionDifferences in regional thickness of knee joint cartilage correspond to altered frequency-dependent, viscoelastic stiffness.

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“…At the molecular level, a constant value for t implies a constant number of interactions per unit area at the fibril surface (Aspden 1994;Goh et al 1999). A constant number of interactions per unit area is to be expected if the macromolecular composition does not change along the length of a fibril, e.g.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Then s z can be calculated, for cylindrical fibrils and fibrils with a parabolic taper, from t and q, for Z in the range 0 to C1, using the appropriate formulae that do not depend on E f or E m . (Goh The advantage of this analytical approach is that the results for all values of q and all loading conditions can be plotted on a single graph, for a given fibre shape by plotting s z /tq against Z (Aspden 1994;Goh et al 1999Goh et al , 2000.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of fibril taper on the function of collagen to reinforce extracellular matrix

et al. 2005

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Collagen fibrils provide tensile reinforcement for extracellular matrix. In at least some tissues, the fibrils have a paraboloidal taper at their ends. The purpose of this paper is to determine the implications of this taper for the function of collagen fibrils. When a tissue is subjected to low mechanical forces, stress will be transferred to the fibrils elastically. This process was modelled using finite element analysis because there is no analytical theory for elastic stress transfer to a non-cylindrical fibril. When the tissue is subjected to higher mechanical forces, stress will be transferred plastically. This process was modelled analytically. For both elastic and plastic stress transfer, a paraboloidal taper leads to a more uniform distribution of axial tensile stress along the fibril than would be generated if it were cylindrical. The tapered fibril requires half the volume of collagen than a cylindrical fibril of the same length and the stress is shared more evenly along its length. It is also less likely to fracture than a cylindrical fibril of the same length in a tissue subjected to the same mechanical force.

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Fibre reinforcing by collagen in cartilage and soft connective tissues

Cited by 45 publications

References 28 publications

Interfibrillar shear stress is the loading mechanism of collagen fibrils in tendon

Interfibrillar shear stress is the loading mechanism of collagen fibrils in tendon

Viscoelastic properties of bovine knee joint articular cartilage: dependency on thickness and loading frequency

Influence of fibril taper on the function of collagen to reinforce extracellular matrix

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