Inhomogeneous Response of Articular Cartilage: A Three-Dimensional Multiphasic Heterogeneous Study

Human Cartilage Biomechanics: Experimental and Theoretical Approaches towards the Identification of Mechanical Properties in Healthy and Osteoarthritic Conditions

Articular cartilage is a complex connective tissue with the fundamental functions of load bearing, shock absorption and lubrication in joints. However, traumatic events, aging and degenerative pathologies may affect its structural integrity and function, causing pain and long-term disability. Osteoarthritis represents a health issue, which concerns an increasing number of people worldwide. Moreover, it has been observed that this pathology also affects the mechanical behavior of the articular cartilage. To better understand this correlation, the here proposed review analyzes the physiological aspects that influence cartilage microstructure and biomechanics, with a special focus on the pathological changes caused by osteoarthritis. Particularly, the experimental data on human articular cartilage are presented with reference to different techniques adopted for mechanical testing and the related theoretical mechanical models usually applied to articular cartilage are briefly discussed.

The effect of highly inhomogeneous biphasic properties on mechanical behaviour of articular cartilage

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Investigating the biomechanics of cartilage could help to understand the unique load-bearing property of the cartilage and optimize the scaffold design in tissue-engineering. It is important to model the cartilage as a highly inhomogeneous fibril-reinforced biphasic material to represent its complex composition and structure. The depth-dependent and strain-dependent properties of the cartilage would also play an important role in its mechanical behaviour. However, the differences in representing the cartilage as a highly inhomogeneous model or as simplified models still remain unclear. Hence, in this study, a highly inhomogeneous fibril-reinforced biphasic cartilage model considering both the depth-dependent and strain-dependent properties was constructed; the effect of highly inhomogeneous properties on the mechanical behaviour of articular cartilage was investigated.

METHODS

A finite element model of the cartilage was developed based on a flat-ended indentation test. Compressive forces were applied to four various inhomogeneous layered models through a porous indenter (Model 1: nine layers with strain-dependent permeability; Model 2: three layers with strain-dependent permeability; Model 3: single layer with strain-dependent permeability; Model 4: nine layers with constant permeability).

RESULTS

Models 1 and 2 provided similar results with less than 3% difference in the peak effective stress, contact pressure, fluid pressure as well as fluid support ratio. However, Model 1 to Model 3 differed in stress and strain distribution patterns along depth over prolonged loads, which may provide an important insight into the highly inhomogeneous depth-dependent properties of cartilage. In addition, Model 1 with strain-dependent permeability demonstrated an enhanced capability on fluid pressurisation as compared with Model 4 which had constant permeability.

CONCLUSIONS

A highly inhomogeneous fibril-reinforced biphasic model considering both depth-dependent and strain-dependent properties was developed in this study, in order to illustrate the effect of highly inhomogeneous properties on the mechanical behaviour of the articular cartilage. The number of layers in the models with depth-dependent properties should be selected according to the research questions and clinical demands. The model with strain-dependent permeability offers an enhanced capability on fluid pressurisation. In future studies, the proposed model could be adopted in cell-models to provide more in-depth information or in tissue-engineering to optimize the depth-dependent scaffold structure.

The combined impact of tissue heterogeneity and fixed charge for models of cartilage: the one-dimensional biphasic swelling model revisited

Articular cartilage is a complex, anisotropic, stratified tissue with remarkable resilience and mechanical properties. It has been subject to extensive modelling as a multiphase medium, with many recent studies examining the impact of increasing detail in the representation of this tissue's fine scale structure. However, further investigation of simple models with minimal constitutive relations can nonetheless inform our understanding at the foundations of soft tissue simulation. Here, we focus on the impact of heterogeneity with regard to the volume fractions of solid and fluid within the cartilage. Once swelling pressure due to cartilage fixed charge is also present, we demonstrate that the multiphase modelling framework is substantially more complicated, and thus investigate this complexity, especially in the simple setting of a confined compression experiment. Our findings highlight the importance of locally, and thus heterogeneously, approaching pore compaction for load bearing in cartilage models, while emphasising that such effects can be represented by simple constitutive relations. In addition, simulation predictions are observed for the sensitivity of stress and displacement in the cartilage to variations in the initial state of the cartilage and thus the details of experimental protocol, once the tissue is heterogeneous. These findings are for the simplest models given only heterogeneity in volume fractions and swelling pressure, further emphasising that the complex behaviours associated with the interaction of volume fraction heterogeneity and swelling pressure are likely to persist for simulations of cartilage representations with more fine-grained structural detail of the tissue.

Rise of the Pigs: Utilization of the Porcine Model to Study Musculoskeletal Biomechanics and Tissue Engineering During Skeletal Growth

Large animal models play an essential role in the study of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine (TERM), as well as biomechanics. The porcine model has been increasingly used to study the musculoskeletal system, including specific joints, such as the knee and temporomandibular joints, and tissues, such as bone, cartilage, and ligaments. In particular, pigs have been utilized to evaluate the role of skeletal growth on the biomechanics and engineered replacements of these joints and tissues. In this review, we explore the publication history of the use of pig models in biomechanics and TERM discuss interspecies comparative studies, highlight studies on the effect of skeletal growth and other biological considerations in the porcine model, and present challenges and emerging opportunities for using this model to study functional TERM.