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Schwartz G, Best TM, Chen CB, Travascio F, Jackson AR. Assessing the role of surface layer and molecular probe size in diffusion within meniscus tissue. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0301432. [PMID: 38626169 PMCID: PMC11020779 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Diffusion within extracellular matrix is essential to deliver nutrients and larger metabolites to the avascular region of the meniscus. It is well known that both structure and composition of the meniscus vary across its regions; therefore, it is crucial to fully understand how the heterogenous meniscal architecture affects its diffusive properties. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of meniscal region (core tissue, femoral, and tibial surface layers) and molecular weight on the diffusivity of several molecules in porcine meniscus. Tissue samples were harvested from the central area of porcine lateral menisci. Diffusivity of fluorescein (MW 332 Da) and three fluorescence-labeled dextrans (MW 3k, 40k, and 150k Da) was measured via fluorescence recovery after photobleaching. Diffusivity was affected by molecular size, decreasing as the Stokes' radius of the solute increased. There was no significant effect of meniscal region on diffusivity for fluorescein, 3k and 40k dextrans (p>0.05). However, region did significantly affect the diffusivity of 150k Dextran, with that in the tibial surface layer being larger than in the core region (p = 0.001). Our findings contribute novel knowledge concerning the transport properties of the meniscus fibrocartilage. This data can be used to advance the understanding of tissue pathophysiology and explore effective approaches for tissue restoration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabi Schwartz
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, United States of America
| | - Thomas M. Best
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States of America
- UHealth Sports Medicine Institute, Coral Gables, FL, United States of America
| | - Cheng-Bang Chen
- Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, United States of America
| | - Francesco Travascio
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States of America
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, United States of America
- Max Biedermann Institute for Biomechanics at Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach, FL, United States of America
| | - Alicia R. Jackson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, United States of America
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Morejon A, Schwartz G, Best TM, Travascio F, Jackson AR. Effect of molecular weight and tissue layer on solute partitioning in the knee meniscus. OSTEOARTHRITIS AND CARTILAGE OPEN 2023; 5:100360. [PMID: 37122844 PMCID: PMC10133802 DOI: 10.1016/j.ocarto.2023.100360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective Knee meniscus tissue is partly vascularized, meaning that nutrients must be transported through the extracellular matrix of the avascular portion to reach resident cells. Similarly, drugs used as therapeutic agents to treat meniscal pathologies rely on transport through the tissue. The driving force of diffusive transport is the gradient of concentration, which depends on molecular solubility. The meniscus is organized into a core region sandwiched between the tibial and femoral superficial layers. Structural differences exist across meniscal regions; therefore, regional differences in solubility are also hypothesized. Methods Samples from the core, tibial and femoral layers were obtained from 5 medial and 5 lateral porcine menisci. The partition coefficient (K) of fluorescein, 3 kDa and 40 kDa dextrans in the layers of the meniscus was measured using an equilibration experiment. The effect of meniscal compartment, layer, and solute molecular weight on K was analyzed using a three-way ANOVA. Results K ranged from a high of ∼2.9 in fluorescein to a low of ∼0.1 in 40 kDa dextran and was inversely related to the solute molecular weight across all tissue regions. Tissue layer only had a significant effect on partitioning of 40k Dex solute, which was lower in the tibial surface layer relative to the core (p = 0.032). Conclusion This study provides insight into depth-dependent partitioning in the meniscus, indicating the limiting effect of the meniscus superficial layer on solubility increases with solute molecular size. This illustrates how the surface layers could potentially reduce the effectiveness of drug delivery therapies incorporating large molecules (>40 kDa).
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Affiliation(s)
- Andy Morejon
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - Gabi Schwartz
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - Thomas M. Best
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
- UHealth Sports Medicine Institute, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - Francesco Travascio
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
- Max Biedermann Institute for Biomechanics at Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach, FL, USA
- Corresponding author. College of Engineering, University of Miami, 1251 Memorial Drive, MEB 276, Coral Gables, FL 33146, USA.
| | - Alicia R. Jackson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
- Corresponding author. College of Engineering, University of Miami, 1251 Memorial Drive, MEA 219, Coral Gables, FL 33146 USA.
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Schwartz G, Morejon A, Best TM, Jackson AR, Travascio F. Strain-Dependent Diffusivity of Small and Large Molecules in Meniscus. J Biomech Eng 2022; 144:111010. [PMID: 35789377 PMCID: PMC9309715 DOI: 10.1115/1.4054931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabi Schwartz
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33146
| | - Andy Morejon
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33146
| | - Thomas M Best
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33146;UHealth Sports Medicine Institute, Coral Gables, FL 33146
| | - Alicia R Jackson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33146
| | - Francesco Travascio
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33146; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136; Max Biedermann Institute for Biomechanics at Mount, Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach, FL 33140
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Travascio F, Devaux F, Volz M, Jackson AR. Molecular and macromolecular diffusion in human meniscus: relationships with tissue structure and composition. Osteoarthritis Cartilage 2020; 28:375-382. [PMID: 31917232 PMCID: PMC7248550 DOI: 10.1016/j.joca.2019.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2019] [Revised: 12/14/2019] [Accepted: 12/22/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To date, the pathophysiology of the meniscus has not been fully elucidated. Due to the tissue's limited vascularization, nutrients and other molecular signals spread through the extracellular matrix via diffusion or convection (interstitial fluid flow). Understanding transport mechanisms is crucial to elucidating meniscal pathophysiology, and to designing treatments for repair and restoration of the tissue. Similar to other fibrocartilaginous structures, meniscal morphology and composition may affect its diffusive properties. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of solute size, and tissue structure and composition on molecular diffusion in meniscus tissue. DESIGN Using a custom FRAP technique developed in our lab, we measured the direction-dependent diffusivity in human meniscus of six different molecular probes of size ranging from ∼300Da to 150,000Da. Diffusivity measurements were related to sample water content. SEM images were used to investigate collagen structure in relation to transport mechanisms. RESULTS Diffusivity was anisotropic, being significantly faster in the direction parallel to collagen fibers when compared the orthogonal direction. This was likely due to the unique structural organization of the tissue presenting pores aligned with the fibers, as observed in SEM images. Diffusion coefficients decreased as the molecular size increased, following the Ogston model. No significant correlations were found among diffusion coefficients and water content of the tissue. CONCLUSIONS This study provides new knowledge on the mechanisms of molecular transport in meniscal tissue. The reported results can be leveraged to further investigate tissue pathophysiology and to design treatments for tissue restoration or replacement.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Travascio
- Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA; Max Biedermann Institute for Biomechanics at Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach, FL, USA.
| | - F Devaux
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - M Volz
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - A R Jackson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA.
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YANG XIUPING, SUN FENGJU, WANG LONGTAO, ZHANG CHUNQIU, ZHANG XIZHENG. SOLUTE TRANSPORT IN ARTICULAR CARTILAGE UNDER ROLLING-COMPRESSION LOAD. J MECH MED BIOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1142/s0219519419500544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Solute transport is one of the important aspects involved in maintaining the physiological activity of tissues. The mechanical environment drives nutrition in and waste out in articular cartilage due to its avascularity, which plays a key role in the biological activity of articular cartilage. The human knee joint motion is a complex interaction between different bones including relative rolling and/or sliding movements. Rolling-compression process is a typical physiological load in knee joint motion. To investigate solute transport behavior in articular cartilage under rolling-compression load, fluorescence tracers with molecular weights of 40kDa and 0.43kDa were used respectively to mark the transport in fresh articular cartilage of mature pigs. Solute fluorescence intensity changing with time and depth of cartilage layer was measured under rolling-compression load and static state, respectively, and the distribution of corresponding relative concentration was calculated by the fluorescence microscope imaging method. The experiment results show that the solute relative concentration in articular cartilage under rolling-compression load increases significantly, even up to 62.4%, comparing with that under static state, and the changes of concentration vary in different layers and that small molecular weight solute is easier to transport than relatively large molecular weight solute in articular cartilage. Therefore, rolling-compression load can promote the solute transport in cartilage, and the mechanical loading may have application in functional cartilage tissue engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- XIUPING YANG
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Education, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin Binshuixi Road No 391, Tianjin 300384, P. R. China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory for Advanced Mechatronic System Design and Intelligent Control, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384, P. R. China
| | - FENGJU SUN
- Tianjin Key Laboratory for Advanced Mechatronic System Design and Intelligent Control, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384, P. R. China
| | - LONGTAO WANG
- Tianjin Key Laboratory for Advanced Mechatronic System Design and Intelligent Control, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384, P. R. China
| | - CHUNQIU ZHANG
- Tianjin Key Laboratory for Advanced Mechatronic System Design and Intelligent Control, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384, P. R. China
| | - XIZHENG ZHANG
- Tianjin Key Laboratory for Advanced Mechatronic System Design and Intelligent Control, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384, P. R. China
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Chen M, Guo W, Gao S, Hao C, Shen S, Zhang Z, Wang Z, Li X, Jing X, Zhang X, Yuan Z, Wang M, Zhang Y, Peng J, Wang A, Wang Y, Sui X, Liu S, Guo Q. Biomechanical Stimulus Based Strategies for Meniscus Tissue Engineering and Regeneration. TISSUE ENGINEERING PART B-REVIEWS 2018; 24:392-402. [PMID: 29897012 DOI: 10.1089/ten.teb.2017.0508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Meniscus injuries are very common in the knee joint. Treating a damaged meniscus continues to be a scientific challenge in sport medicine because of its poor self-healing potential and few clinical therapeutic options. Tissue engineering strategies are very promising solutions for repairing and regenerating a damaged meniscus. Meniscus is exposed to a complex biomechanical microenvironment, and it plays a crucial role in meniscal development, growth, and repairing. Over the past decades, increasing attention has been focused on the use of biomechanical stimulus to enhance biomechanical properties of the engineered meniscus. Further understanding the influence of mechanical stimulation on cell proliferation and differentiation, metabolism, relevant gene expression, and pro/anti-inflammatory responses may be beneficial to enhance meniscal repair and regeneration. On the one hand, this review describes some basic information about meniscus; on the other hand, we sum up the various biomechanical stimulus based strategies applied in meniscus tissue engineering and how these factors affect meniscal regeneration. We hope this review will provide researchers with inspiration on tissue engineering strategies for meniscus regeneration in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingxue Chen
- 1 Institute of Orthopedics , Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing Key Lab of Regenerative Medicine in Orthopedics, Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Trauma & War Injuries PLA, Beijing, People's Republic of China .,2 Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, Fourth Clinical College of Peking University, 100035 Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Weimin Guo
- 1 Institute of Orthopedics , Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing Key Lab of Regenerative Medicine in Orthopedics, Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Trauma & War Injuries PLA, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Shunag Gao
- 3 Center for Biomaterial and Tissue Engineering, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University , Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Chunxiang Hao
- 4 Institute of Anesthesiology , Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Shi Shen
- 1 Institute of Orthopedics , Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing Key Lab of Regenerative Medicine in Orthopedics, Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Trauma & War Injuries PLA, Beijing, People's Republic of China .,5 Department of Bone and Joint Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University , Luzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Zengzeng Zhang
- 1 Institute of Orthopedics , Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing Key Lab of Regenerative Medicine in Orthopedics, Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Trauma & War Injuries PLA, Beijing, People's Republic of China .,6 First Department of Orthopedics, First Affiliated Hospital of Jiamusi University , Jiamusi, People's Republic of China
| | - Zehao Wang
- 1 Institute of Orthopedics , Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing Key Lab of Regenerative Medicine in Orthopedics, Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Trauma & War Injuries PLA, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Xu Li
- 1 Institute of Orthopedics , Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing Key Lab of Regenerative Medicine in Orthopedics, Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Trauma & War Injuries PLA, Beijing, People's Republic of China .,7 School of Medicine, Nankai University , Tianjin, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoguang Jing
- 1 Institute of Orthopedics , Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing Key Lab of Regenerative Medicine in Orthopedics, Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Trauma & War Injuries PLA, Beijing, People's Republic of China .,6 First Department of Orthopedics, First Affiliated Hospital of Jiamusi University , Jiamusi, People's Republic of China
| | - Xueliang Zhang
- 1 Institute of Orthopedics , Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing Key Lab of Regenerative Medicine in Orthopedics, Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Trauma & War Injuries PLA, Beijing, People's Republic of China .,8 Shanxi Traditional Chinese Hospital , Taiyuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhiguo Yuan
- 1 Institute of Orthopedics , Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing Key Lab of Regenerative Medicine in Orthopedics, Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Trauma & War Injuries PLA, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Mingjie Wang
- 1 Institute of Orthopedics , Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing Key Lab of Regenerative Medicine in Orthopedics, Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Trauma & War Injuries PLA, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu Zhang
- 1 Institute of Orthopedics , Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing Key Lab of Regenerative Medicine in Orthopedics, Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Trauma & War Injuries PLA, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiang Peng
- 1 Institute of Orthopedics , Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing Key Lab of Regenerative Medicine in Orthopedics, Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Trauma & War Injuries PLA, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Aiyuan Wang
- 1 Institute of Orthopedics , Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing Key Lab of Regenerative Medicine in Orthopedics, Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Trauma & War Injuries PLA, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu Wang
- 1 Institute of Orthopedics , Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing Key Lab of Regenerative Medicine in Orthopedics, Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Trauma & War Injuries PLA, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiang Sui
- 1 Institute of Orthopedics , Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing Key Lab of Regenerative Medicine in Orthopedics, Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Trauma & War Injuries PLA, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuyun Liu
- 1 Institute of Orthopedics , Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing Key Lab of Regenerative Medicine in Orthopedics, Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Trauma & War Injuries PLA, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Quanyi Guo
- 1 Institute of Orthopedics , Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing Key Lab of Regenerative Medicine in Orthopedics, Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Trauma & War Injuries PLA, Beijing, People's Republic of China
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Jackson AR, Eismont A, Yu L, Li N, Gu W, Eismont F, Brown MD. Diffusion of antibiotics in intervertebral disc. J Biomech 2018; 76:259-262. [PMID: 29941209 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2018.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Revised: 05/22/2018] [Accepted: 06/09/2018] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Delivering charged antibiotics to the intervertebral disc is challenging because of the avascular, negatively charged extracellular matrix (ECM) of the tissue. The purpose of this study was to measure the apparent diffusion coefficient of two clinically relevant, charged antibiotics, vancomycin (positively charged) and oxacillin (negatively charged) in IVD. A one-dimensional steady state diffusion experiment was employed to measure the apparent diffusion coefficient of the two antibiotics in bovine coccygeal annulus fibrosus (AF) tissue. The averaged apparent diffusion coefficient for vancomycin under 20% compressive strain was 7.94 ± 2.00 × 10-12 m2/s (n = 10), while that of oxacillin was 2.26 ± 0.68 × 10-10 m2/s (n = 10). A student's t-test showed that the diffusivity of vancomycin was significantly lower than that of oxacillin. This finding may be attributed to two factors: solute size and possible binding effects. Vancomycin is approximately 3 times larger in molecular weight than oxacillin, meaning that steric hindrance likely plays a role in the slower transport. Reversible binding between positive vancomycin and the negative ECM could also slow down the rate of diffusion. Therefore, more investigation is necessary to determine the specific relationship between net charge on antibiotic and diffusion coefficients in IVD. This study provides essential quantitative information regarding the transport rates of antibiotics in the IVD, which is critical in using computational modeling to design effective strategies to treat disc infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia R Jackson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - Adam Eismont
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - Lu Yu
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - Na Li
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - Weiyong Gu
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA.
| | - Frank Eismont
- Department of Orthopaedics, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Mark D Brown
- Department of Orthopaedics, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
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Kleinhans KL, Jackson AR. Hydraulic permeability of meniscus fibrocartilage measured via direct permeation: Effects of tissue anisotropy, water volume content, and compressive strain. J Biomech 2018; 72:215-221. [PMID: 29605083 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2018.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2017] [Revised: 02/27/2018] [Accepted: 03/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Hydraulic permeability is an important material property of cartilaginous tissues, governing the rate of fluid flow, which is crucial to tissue biomechanics and cellular nutrition. The effects of strain, anisotropy, and region on the hydraulic permeability in meniscus tissue have not been fully elucidated. Using a one-dimensional direct permeation test, we measured the hydraulic permeability within statically compressed porcine meniscus specimens, prepared such that the explants were in either the axial or circumferential direction of either the central or horn (axial direction only) region of the medial and lateral menisci. A constant flow was applied and the pressure difference was measured using pressure transducers. Specimens were tested under 10-20% compressive strain. Permeability values were in the range of 1.53-1.87 × 10-15 m4/Ns, which is comparable to values found in the literature. Permeability was significantly anisotropic, being higher in the circumferential direction than in the axial direction. Additionally, there was a significant negative correlation between strain level and permeability for all groups. Lastly, no statistically significant difference was found between permeability coefficients from different regional locations. This study provides important information regarding structure-function relationships in meniscal tissues that helps to elucidate biomechanics and transport in the tissue, and can aid in the understanding of the tissue's role in the function of the knee joint and onset of osteoarthritis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey L Kleinhans
- Orthopaedic Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - Alicia R Jackson
- Orthopaedic Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA.
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Travascio F, Jackson AR. The nutrition of the human meniscus: A computational analysis investigating the effect of vascular recession on tissue homeostasis. J Biomech 2017; 61:151-159. [PMID: 28778387 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2017.07.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2017] [Revised: 06/09/2017] [Accepted: 07/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The meniscus is essential to the functioning of the knee, offering load support, congruency, lubrication, and protection to the underlying cartilage. Meniscus degeneration affects ∼35% of the population, and potentially leads to knee osteoarthritis. The etiology of meniscal degeneration remains to be elucidated, although many factors have been considered. However, the role of nutritional supply to meniscus cells in the pathogenesis of meniscus degeneration has been so far overlooked. Nutrients are delivered to meniscal cells through the surrounding synovial fluid and the blood vessels present in the outer region of the meniscus. During maturation, vascularization progressively recedes up to the outer 10% of the tissue, leaving the majority avascular. It has been hypothesized that vascular recession might significantly reduce the nutrient supply to cells, thus contributing to meniscus degeneration. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of vascular recession on nutrient levels available to meniscus cells. This was done by developing a novel computational model for meniscus homeostasis based on mixture theory. It was found that transvascular transport of nutrients in the vascularized region of the meniscus contributes to more than 40% of the glucose content in the core of the tissue. However, vascular recession does not significantly alter nutrient levels in the meniscus, reducing at most 5% of the nutrient content in the central portion of the tissue. Therefore, our analysis suggests that reduced vascularity is not likely a primary initiating source in tissue degeneration. However, it does feasibly play a key role in inability for self-repair, as seen clinically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Travascio
- Biomechanics Research Laboratory, Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, United States.
| | - Alicia R Jackson
- Orthopaedic Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, United States
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Kleinhans KL, Jackson AR. Effect of Strain, Region, and Tissue Composition on Glucose Partitioning in Meniscus Fibrocartilage. J Biomech Eng 2017; 139:2595196. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4035537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
A nearly avascular tissue, the knee meniscus relies on diffusive transport for nutritional supply to cells. Nutrient transport depends on solute partitioning in the tissue, which governs the amount of nutrients that can enter a tissue. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of mechanical strain, tissue region, and tissue composition on the partition coefficient of glucose in meniscus fibrocartilage. A simple partitioning experiment was employed to measure glucose partitioning in porcine meniscus tissues from two regions (horn and central), from both meniscal components (medial and lateral), and at three levels of compression (0%, 10%, and 20%). Partition coefficient values were correlated to strain level, water volume fraction, and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content of tissue specimens. Partition coefficient values ranged from 0.47 to 0.91 (n = 48). Results show that glucose partition coefficient is significantly (p < 0.001) affected by compression, decreasing with increasing strain. Furthermore, we did not find a statistically significant effect of tissue when comparing medial versus lateral (p = 0.181) or when comparing central and horn regions (p = 0.837). There were significant positive correlations between tissue water volume fraction and glucose partitioning for all groups. However, the correlation between GAG content and partitioning was only significant in the lateral horn group. Determining how glucose partitioning is affected by tissue composition and loading is necessary for understanding nutrient availability and related tissue health and/or degeneration. Therefore, this study is important for better understanding the transport and nutrition-related mechanisms of meniscal degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey L. Kleinhans
- Orthopaedic Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Miami, 1251 Memorial Drive, MEA 219, Coral Gables, FL 33124-0621 e-mail:
| | - Alicia R. Jackson
- Orthopaedic Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Miami, 1251 Memorial Drive, MEA 207, Coral Gables, FL 33124-0621 e-mail:
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Kleinhans KL, McMahan JB, Jackson AR. Electrical conductivity and ion diffusion in porcine meniscus: effects of strain, anisotropy, and tissue region. J Biomech 2016; 49:3041-3046. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2016.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2016] [Revised: 06/02/2016] [Accepted: 06/07/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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