Elastoviscous Transitions of Articular Cartilage Reveal a Mechanism of Synergy between Lubricin and Hyaluronic Acid |
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| Authors: | Edward D. Bonnevie Devis Galesso Cynthia Secchieri Itai Cohen Lawrence J. Bonassar |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States of America.; 2. Department of Research and Development, Fidia Farmaceutici SpA, Padua, Italy.; 3. Department of Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States of America.; 4. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States of America.; University of Rochester, UNITED STATES, |
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| Abstract: | When lubricated by synovial fluid, articular cartilage provides some of the lowest friction coefficients found in nature. While it is known that macromolecular constituents of synovial fluid provide it with its lubricating ability, it is not fully understood how two of the main molecules, lubricin and hyaluronic acid, lubricate and interact with one another. Here, we develop a novel framework for cartilage lubrication based on the elastoviscous transition to show that lubricin and hyaluronic acid lubricate by distinct mechanisms. Such analysis revealed nonspecific interactions between these molecules in which lubricin acts to concentrate hyaluronic acid near the tissue surface and promotes a transition to a low friction regime consistent with the theory of viscous boundary lubrication. Understanding the mechanics of synovial fluid not only provides insight into the progression of diseases such as arthritis, but also may be applicable to the development of new biomimetic lubricants. |
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