Cation diffusion in cartilage measured by pulsed field gradient NMR

Strain-Dependent Diffusivity of Small and Large Molecules in Meniscus

Due to lack of full vascularization, the meniscus relies on diffusion through the extracellular matrix to deliver small (e.g., nutrients) and large (e.g., proteins) to resident cells. Under normal physiological conditions, the meniscus undergoes up to 20% compressive strains. While previous studies characterized solute diffusivity in the uncompressed meniscus, to date, little is known about the diffusive transport under physiological strain levels. This information is crucial to fully understand the pathophysiology of the meniscus. The objective of this study was to investigate strain-dependent diffusive properties of the meniscus fibrocartilage. Tissue samples were harvested from the central portion of porcine medial menisci and tested via fluorescence recovery after photobleaching to measure diffusivity of fluorescein (332 Da) and 40 K Da dextran (D40K) under 0%, 10%, and 20% compressive strain. Specifically, average diffusion coefficient and anisotropic ratio, defined as the ratio of the diffusion coefficient in the direction of the tissue collagen fibers to that orthogonal, were determined. For all the experimental conditions investigated, fluorescein diffusivity was statistically faster than that of D40K. Also, for both molecules, diffusion coefficients significantly decreased, up to ∼45%, as the strain increased. In contrast, the anisotropic ratios of both molecules were similar and not affected by the strain applied to the tissue. This suggests that compressive strains used in this study did not alter the diffusive pathways in the meniscus. Our findings provide new knowledge on the transport properties of the meniscus fibrocartilage that can be leveraged to further understand tissue pathophysiology and approaches to tissue restoration.

Effect of Static Compressive Strain, Anisotropy, and Tissue Region on the Diffusion of Glucose in Meniscus Fibrocartilage

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a significant socio-economic concern, affecting millions of individuals each year. Degeneration of the meniscus of the knee is often associated with OA, yet the relationship between the two is not well understood. As a nearly avascular tissue, the meniscus must rely on diffusive transport for nutritional supply to cells. Therefore, quantifying structure–function relations for transport properties in meniscus fibrocartilage is an important task. The purpose of the present study was to determine how mechanical loading, tissue anisotropy, and tissue region affect glucose diffusion in meniscus fibrocartilage. A one-dimensional (1D) diffusion experiment was used to measure the diffusion coefficient of glucose in porcine meniscus tissues. Results show that glucose diffusion is strain-dependent, decreasing significantly with increased levels of compression. It was also determined that glucose diffusion in meniscus tissues is anisotropic, with the diffusion coefficient in the circumferential direction being significantly higher than that in the axial direction. Finally, the effect of tissue region was not statistically significant, comparing axial diffusion in the central and horn regions of the tissue. This study is important for better understanding the transport and nutrition-related mechanisms of meniscal degeneration and related OA in the knee.

New methods to study the composition and structure of the extracellular matrix in natural and bioengineered tissues

The extracellular matrix (ECM) comprises a gel of numerous biopolymers that occurs in a multitude of biological tissues. The ECM provides the basic support and mechanical strength of skeletal tissue and is responsible for shape retention. At the same time, the ECM is responsible for the viscoelastic properties and the elasticity of soft tissues. As expected, there are several important diseases that affect and degenerate the ECM with severe consequences for its properties. Bioengineering is a promising approach to support the regenerative capacity of the body. Unfortunately, the biomechanical properties of bioengineered ECM often only poorly meet the standards of their native counterparts. Many bioengineered tissues are characterized by an increased glycosaminoglycan (GAG) but decreased collagen content. This leads to an enhanced water content that strongly alters the viscoelastic and thus the biomechanical properties. Therefore, compositional analysis is important to estimate the tissue quality. We will show that nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and soft-ionization mass spectrometry (MS) represent useful techniques for ECM research both in natural and bioengineered tissues. Both methods are strongly complimentary: while MS techniques such as matrix-assisted laser desorption and ionization (MALDI) are excellent and very sensitive analytical tools to determine the collagen and the GAG contents of tissues, NMR spectroscopy provides insight into the molecular architecture of the ECM, its dynamics and other important parameters such as the water content of the tissue as well as the diffusion of molecules within the ECM.

Strain-dependent oxygen diffusivity in bovine annulus fibrosus

The intervertebral disk (IVD) is the largest avascular structure in the human body. Transport of small molecules in IVD is mainly through diffusion from the endplates and the peripheral blood vessels surrounding IVD. Studies have investigated the structure, chemical components, and water content in IVD, but to our knowledge no study has investigated the effect of mechanical loading on oxygen transport in IVD. The objective of this study was to determine the strain-dependent behavior of oxygen diffusivity in IVD tissue. A one-dimensional steady-state diffusion experiment was designed and performed to determine the oxygen diffusivity in bovine annulus fibrosus (AF). The oxygen diffusivity was calculated using equation derived from Fick's law. A total of 20 AF specimens (d=6 mm, h approximately 0.5 mm) from bovine coccygeal IVD were used to determine oxygen diffusivity at three levels of compressive strain. The average oxygen diffusivity (mean+/-SD) of bovine AF in the axial direction was 1.43+/-0.242 x 10(-5) cm(2)/s (n=20) at 4.68+/-1.67% compressive strain level, 1.05+/-0.282 x 10(-5) cm(2)/s (n=20) at 14.2+/-1.50% strain level, and 7.71+/-1.63 x 10(-6) cm(2)/s (n=20) at 23.7+/-1.34% strain level. There was a significant decrease in oxygen diffusivity with increasing level of compressive strain (ANOVA, p<0.05). Oxygen diffusivity of bovine AF in the axial direction has been determined. The mechanical loading has a significant effect on oxygen transport in IVD tissues. This study is important in understanding nutritional transport in IVD tissues and related disk degeneration.

TRANSPORT PROPERTIES OF CARTILAGINOUS TISSUES

Cartilaginous tissues, such as articular cartilage and intervertebral disc, are avascular tissues which rely on transport for cellular nutrition. Comprehensive knowledge of transport properties in such tissues is therefore necessary in the understanding of nutritional supply to cells. Furthermore, poor cellular nutrition in cartilaginous tissues is believed to be a primary source of tissue degeneration, which may result in osteoarthritis (OA) or disc degeneration. In this mini-review, we present an overview of the current status of the study of transport properties and behavior in cartilaginous tissues. The mechanisms of transport in these tissues, as well as experimental approaches to measuring transport properties and results obtained are discussed. The current status of bioreactors used in cartilage tissue engineering is also presented.

Effect of compression and anisotropy on the diffusion of glucose in annulus fibrosus

STUDY DESIGN

Investigation of the effect of static compression and anisotropy on the apparent diffusivity of glucose in bovine annulus fibrosus (AF). OBJECTIVE. To determine the apparent glucose diffusivity in 2 directions (axial and radial) of bovine AF under 3 levels of compressive strain (0%, 10%, and 20%).

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

Knowledge of diffusivity of small molecules is important for understanding nutritional supply in intervertebral discs and the mechanisms of disc degeneration. However, little is known regarding the strain-dependent and anisotropic behavior of glucose diffusivity in intervertebral discs.

METHODS

Apparent glucose diffusivity measurements were performed on 10 axial and 10 radial AF specimens from bovine coccygeal discs. The dependence of diffusivity on compression was determined using 3 levels of strain (0%, 10%, and 20%).

RESULTS

The apparent glucose diffusivity (mean +/- standard deviation) of the bovine AF in the axial direction was 1.38 +/- 0.015 x 10 cm/s (n = 10) at 0%, 1.00 +/- 0.070 x 10 cm/s (n = 10) at 10%, and 7.65 +/- 0.552 x 10 cm/s (n = 10) at 20% compression. For radial specimens, the apparent glucose diffusivity was determined to be 9.17 +/- 1.12 x 10 cm/s (n = 10), 7.29 +/- 0.863 x 10 cm/s (n = 10), and 5.43 +/- 1.16 x 10 cm/s (n = 10) for 0%, 10%, and 20% compressions, respectively. A significant decrease in diffusivity with increasing strain was found for both axial and radial specimens [analysis of variance (ANOVA), P < 0.05]. Diffusion in the radial direction was determined to be significantly less than that in the axial direction (ANOVA, P < 0.05). A significant interaction was found between the level of strain and the direction of diffusion (ANOVA, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Diffusion of glucose in bovine AF is dependent on strain and the direction of diffusion.

Cryoprotectant permeation through human articular cartilage

OBJECTIVE

The cryopreservation of intact articular cartilage is constrained by minimal chondrocyte survival. It was the aim of the present study to gain an insight into the permeation kinetics of cryoprotectants through cartilage. This knowledge is essential for achieving adequate tissue permeation prior to cooling.

DESIGN

The diffusion coefficients and penetration rates through human articular cartilage of dimethyl sulfoxide (Me(2)SO) and glycerol at different temperatures (4 degrees C, 17 degrees C, 27 degrees C and 37 degrees C) and at two concentrations [10% (v/v) and absolute state] were measured using diffusion nuclear magnetic imaging. Deuterated water (D(2)O) was used as a control substance.

RESULTS

Glycerol penetrated faster than Me(2)SO at all temperatures and at rates that were comparable to those for D(2)O. The penetration rate of each agent increased with increasing temperature. The diffusion coefficients for glycerol and Me(2)SO increased with increasing temperature and decreased at the higher concentration, but the differences between each agent were not significant.

CONCLUSIONS

The classical cryopreservation protocols expose cartilage samples to Me(2)SO at a too low temperature and/or for an insufficient time period for optimal cell survival. When considering the penetration rate, glycerol appears to be a more efficient cryoprotective agent than Me(2)SO. The present study demonstrates the power of nuclear magnetic resonance technology to elucidate key physiological factors in cryobiology.

Ionic diffusion and space charge polarization in structural characterization of biological tissues

In this study, a new approach to the analysis of the low-frequency (1-10(7) Hz) dielectric spectra of biological tissue, has been described. The experimental results are interpreted in terms of ionic diffusion and space charge polarization according to Sawada's theory. The new presentation of dielectric spectra, i.e. ([Formula: see text]) [Formula: see text] has been used. This method results in peaks which are narrower and better resolved than both the measured loss peaks and an alternative loss quantity [Formula: see text]. The presented method and Sawada's expression have been applied to the analysis of changes in the spatial molecular structure of a collagen fibril network in pericardium tissue exposed to glutaraldehyde (GA), with respect to the native tissue. The diffusion coefficient of ions was estimated on the basis of a dielectric dispersion measurement for an aqueous NaCl solution with a well-calibrated distance between the electrodes. The fitting procedure of a theoretical function to the experimental data allowed us to determine three diffusive relaxation regions with three structural distance parameters d(s), describing the spatial arrangement of collagen fibrils in pericardium tissue. It has been found that a significant decrease in the structural distance d(s) from 87 nm to 45 nm may correspond to a reduction in the interfibrillar distance within GA cross-linked tissue.

Enhanced characterization of oilfield emulsions via NMR diffusion and transverse relaxation experiments

The procedure proposed by Packer and Rees (J. Colloid Interface Sci. 40 (1972) 206) to interpret pulsed field gradient spin-echo (PGSE) experiments on emulsions is commonly used to resolve for the distribution of droplet sizes via nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Nevertheless, such procedure is based on several assumptions that may restrict its applicability in many practical cases. Among such constrains, (a) the amplitude of the spin-echo (signal) must be influenced solely by the drop phase, and not by the continuous phase; and (b) the shape of the drop size distribution must be assumed a priori. This article discusses new theory to interpret results from PGSE experiments and a novel procedure that couples diffusion measurements (PGSE) with transverse relaxation rate experiments (the so-called CPMG sequence) to overcome the above limitations. Results from experiments on emulsions of water dispersed in several crude oils are reported to demonstrate that the combined CPMG-PGSE method renders drop size distributions with arbitrary shape, the water/oil ratio of the emulsion and the rate of decay of magnetization at the interfaces, i.e. the surface relaxivity. It is also shown that the procedure allows screening if the dispersion is oil-in-water (o/w) or water-in-oil (w/o) in a straightforward manner and that it is suitable to evaluate stability of emulsions.

Self-diffusion of polymers in cartilage as studied by pulsed field gradient NMR

Pulsed field gradient (PFG) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) was used to investigate the self-diffusion behaviour of polymers in cartilage. Polyethylene glycol and dextran with different molecular weights and in different concentrations were used as model compounds to mimic the diffusion behaviour of metabolites of cartilage. The polymer self-diffusion depends extremely on the observation time: The short-time self-diffusion coefficients (diffusion time Delta approximately 15 ms) are subjected to a rather non-specific obstruction effect that depends mainly on the molecular weights of the applied polymers as well as on the water content of the cartilage. The observed self-diffusion coefficients decrease with increasing molecular weights of the polymers and with a decreasing water content of the cartilage. In contrast, the long-time self-diffusion coefficients of the polymers in cartilage (diffusion time Delta approximately 600 ms) reflect the structural properties of the tissue. Measurements at different water contents, different molecular weights of the polymers and varying observation times suggest that primarily the collagenous network of cartilage but also the entanglements of the polymer chains themselves are responsible for the observed restricted diffusion. Additionally, anomalous restricted diffusion was shown to occur already in concentrated polymer solutions.