Review
Polymer Science
Mohammad Mostakhdemin, Ashveen Nand, Maziar Ramezani
Summary: This review discusses the elemental keys for designing and testing artificial cartilage, addressing advanced methods and underexplored aspects in the field. It covers topics such as the structure of articular cartilage, properties of hydrogels, mechanical testing approaches, and wear mechanisms. The presentation of bilayer hydrogels as a niche in tissue artificialization and the assessment of recent gaps are also highlighted.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Diego Trucco, Lorenzo Vannozzi, Eti Teblum, Madina Telkhozhayeva, Gilbert Daniel Nessim, Saverio Affatato, Hind Al-Haddad, Gina Lisignoli, Leonardo Ricotti
Summary: This study reports the fabrication of a bilayered hydrogel structure made of gellan gum and poly (ethylene glycol) diacrylate, capable of mimicking the mechanical and lubrication properties of both superficial and deep zones of articular cartilage. Through appropriate combinations, the cartilage Young's modulus was effectively mimicked for both zones, with graphene oxide used as a dopant agent for the superficial layer to reduce friction. The antiwear properties of the bilayered hydrogel were confirmed using a knee simulator, and in vitro tests with human chondrocytes showed no cytotoxic effects, suggesting potential for restoration of articular cartilage defects with a multilayered synthetic filler.
ADVANCED HEALTHCARE MATERIALS
(2021)
Review
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Liangbin Zhou, Peng Guo, Matteo D'Este, Wenxue Tong, Jiankun Xu, Hao Yao, Martin J. Stoddart, Gerjo J. V. M. van Osch, Kevin Ki-Wai Ho, Zhen Li, Ling Qin
Summary: Articular cartilage (AC) is a flexible connective tissue located on the bone surface in the joints. AC defects are common in physically active individuals. Functionalized hydrogels have emerged as promising substitutes for damaged cartilage in AC repair due to their favorable properties. This article introduces the composition, structure, and function of AC and its defects, and reviews the design and fabrication of functionalized hydrogels for AC repair.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
S. Nuernberger, C. Schneider, C. Keibl, B. Schaedl, P. Heimel, X. Monforte, A. H. Teuschl, M. Nalbach, P. J. Thurner, J. Grillari, H. Redl, S. Wolbank
Summary: A new scaffold material named CartiScaff based on decellularised human articular cartilage was developed, showing superior biomechanical properties compared to commercially available materials. In ectopic, unloaded in vivo models, a strong chondrogenic microenvironment was found within the scaffold incisions, indicating its potential to accelerate rehabilitation and improve long term clinical success in cartilage defect treatment.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Heng Li, Jinming Li, Shengbo Yu, Chengwei Wu, Wei Zhang
Summary: The articular cartilage in the knee joint can be anatomically divided into different regions, with distinct mechanical properties observed among these regions. Histological analysis and the use of constitutive models help to explain the differences in cartilage properties, with the Fung and Ogden models found to be suitable for representing the effects of strain rate on stiffening.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Jiazi Gao, Pengling Ren, He Gong
Summary: This study investigated the morphological and mechanical changes in articular cartilage and subchondral bone during spontaneous hip osteoarthritis in guinea pigs. The results showed that the micromechanical properties of articular cartilage were the lowest at 1 month of age, and the earliest degeneration of articular cartilage occurred at 6 months of age. No degeneration in the micro- or nanostructure of subchondral bone was observed before 9 months. These findings provide valuable insights into the formation and progression of hip osteoarthritis.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Yantong Huang, Xiaohong Li, Abishek Jung Poudel, Wenqi Zhang, Lin Xiao
Summary: This review summarizes the current trends in articular cartilage tissue engineering and discusses the requirements of bioinks and 3D printing for bioprinting applications. It provides an overview of bioink materials and strategies to enhance their mechanical properties. The review also outlines the future perspectives of bioink reinforcement for 3D bioprinting of articular cartilage.
APPLIED MATERIALS TODAY
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Jize Liu, Shuting Xu, Zhichao Ma, Yue Jiang, Hongwei Zhao, Luquan Ren
Summary: Water loss and surface defects pose a significant risk to osteoarticular diseases. This study investigates the effects of water content and surface defects on the mechanical properties of cartilage. The results demonstrate that tissue structure and permeability are the main factors influencing the strength and ductility of cartilage. Raman spectroscopy analysis reveals the transition of water bonds in the cartilage layer, leading to decreased permeability and increased resistance to deformation. The organic matrix content determined by Raman spectroscopy is negatively correlated with permeability and positively correlated with cartilage strength.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY-JMR&T
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Maha Ead, Kezhou Wu, Chester Jar, Kajsa Duke, Nadr Jomha, Lindsey Westover
Summary: Osteochondral allograft transplantations are commonly used for treating focal articular cartilage injuries. Vitrification, a cryopreservation method, can extend the storage time of cartilage. This study found that vitrified cartilage had similar or better mechanical properties compared to fresh and frozen cartilage, suggesting it can be an alternative to fresh allografts and potentially improve clinical outcomes.
ANNALS OF BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Review
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Weichang Xu, Jing Zhu, Jiawei Hu, Lin Xiao
Summary: Tissue engineering holds great promise in cartilage injury repair and replacement. However, issues such as immunogenicity, stability, and mechanical strength have remained unsolved in articular cartilage tissue engineering. The lack of replicating the chondrocyte biomechanical microenvironment (BME) has been a notable factor. Recent studies have highlighted the crucial role of BME in chondrocyte phenotype and cartilage functions, leading to more precise research in engineering the chondrocyte BME for articular cartilage tissue engineering. This review discusses the effects of the chondrocyte BME and explores the strategies for engineering it in articular cartilage tissue engineering, with a focus on simulating key characteristics and providing dynamic mechanical stimulation.
Review
Engineering, Biomedical
Dorsa Dehghan-Baniani, Babak Mehrjou, Paul K. Chu, Wayne Yuk Wai Lee, Hongkai Wu
Summary: Articular cartilage (AC) has limited healing capacity due to its avascular and acellular nature. Cartilage tissue engineering faces challenges in remodeling the complex cartilage composition and architecture. Understanding intrinsic AC properties and cell response to stimuli is crucial for producing functional cartilaginous constructs. Biopolymers have shown promise in creating polymeric scaffolds that mimic zonal AC layers using physical, mechanical, and biological/chemical signals. This review discusses the properties, challenges, and potential ways to overcome them.
ADVANCED HEALTHCARE MATERIALS
(2023)
Review
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Amir Masoud Afsahi, Sam Sedaghat, Dina Moazamian, Ghazaleh Afsahi, Jiyo S. Athertya, Hyungseok Jang, Ya-Jun Ma
Summary: This article reviews the applications of ultrashort echo time (UTE) MRI techniques for cartilage assessment in the human knee joint. These techniques allow comprehensive evaluation of all cartilage layers, especially the short T-2 layers. The contrast mechanisms, advantages, and disadvantages of different techniques are discussed.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Yanxi Liu, Karan M. Shah, Jian Luo
Summary: Articular cartilage is avascular and has limited ability to repair itself, leading to degenerative joint diseases. Current clinical treatments often result in mechanically inferior cartilage. Understanding factors affecting cartilage homeostasis and exploring emerging regenerative approaches are crucial for future treatment options.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jiawei Li, Huiming Jiang, Zhongyang Lv, Ziying Sun, Chaoqun Cheng, Guihua Tan, Maochun Wang, Anlong Liu, Heng Sun, Hu Guo, Fufei Chen, Zizheng Liu, Yuxiang Fei, Yuan Liu, Rui Wu, Xingquan Xu, Wenjin Yan, Qing Jiang, Dongquan Shi
Summary: This study proposed a new strategy for cartilage regeneration by hyalinizing fibrocartilage through stabilizing the cytoskeleton. The use of docetaxel was found to inhibit cartilage fibrosis and promote the regeneration of hyaline cartilage.
Article
Orthopedics
Kezhou Wu, Kar Wey Yong, Maha Ead, Mark Sommerfeldt, Tamara D. Skene-Arnold, Lindsey Westover, Kajsa Duke, Leila Laouar, Janet A. W. Elliott, Nadr M. Jomha
Summary: This study aimed to investigate whether the repair effect of vitrified particulated cartilage would be equivalent to or better than that of fresh cartilage. The experimental results showed that both fresh and vitrified particulated cartilage had equivalent regeneration within cartilage defects when evaluated at 6 months after surgery.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SPORTS MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Medical Laboratory Technology
Jose Coelho-Lima, Ashfaq Mohammed, Suzanne Cormack, Samuel Jones, Adnan Ali, Pedram Panahi, Matt Barter, Alan Bagnall, Simi Ali, David Young, Ioakim Spyridopoulos
CLINICAL CHEMISTRY
(2020)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kathleen Cheung, Marjolein J. Burgers, David A. Young, Simon Cockell, Louise N. Reynard
Review
Rheumatology
Sarah J. Rice, Frank Beier, David A. Young, John Loughlin
NATURE REVIEWS RHEUMATOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Matt J. Barter, Kathleen Cheung, Julia Falk, Andreas C. Panagiotopoulos, Caitlin Cosimini, Siobhan O'Brien, Karina Teja-Putri, Graham Neill, David J. Deehan, David A. Young
Summary: Through ATAC-seq analysis, it was found that IL-1 stimulation caused significant changes in chromatin accessibility of certain genomic regions in cells, predominantly corresponding to enhancers. Functional validation and transcription factor studies revealed the involvement of these regions in inflammatory signaling.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Steven Woods, Sarah Charlton, Kat Cheung, Yao Hao, Jamie Soul, Louise N. Reynard, Natalie Crowe, Tracey E. Swingler, Andrew J. Skelton, Katarzyna A. Pirog, Colin G. Miles, Dimitra Tsompani, Robert M. Jackson, Tamas Dalmay, Ian M. Clark, Matt J. Barter, David A. Young
Article
Rheumatology
Jamie Soul, Matthew J. Barter, Christopher B. Little, David A. Young
Summary: The study identified 459 genes modulated in animal models of OA, with ageing and post-traumatic models being the most prominent. Ninety-eight of the 143 genes genetically modulated more than once had a consistent effect on OA joint damage severity. By expanding existing annotations and prioritising promising therapeutic targets, the study validated the associations using the latest reported data.
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Petar Markov, Anthony J. Hayes, Hanxing Zhu, Craig Boote, Emma J. Blain
Summary: This study presents a comprehensive image processing pipeline for creating unified three-dimensional reconstructions of cell cytoskeletal networks and nuclei, successfully applied to fibroblast cytoskeletal reorganization in the scleral connective tissue of the eye.
JOURNAL OF BIOPHOTONICS
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sophie Jane Gilbert, Cleo Selina Bonnet, Emma Jane Blain
Summary: The extracellular matrix (ECM) in cartilage plays a crucial role in maintaining cartilage homeostasis and biomechanical functionality. Research shows that the response of cartilage to mechanical perturbations and abnormal loading can impact ECM composition and tissue health, potentially leading to cartilage degradation and osteoarthritis onset.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Review
Orthopedics
D. A. Young, M. J. Barter, J. Soul
Summary: This review highlights the advances in genetics, genomics, and epigenetics in the field of osteoarthritis over the past year, focusing on the application of new technologies and the investigation of interactions between multiple tissue types to enhance our understanding of disease mechanisms.
OSTEOARTHRITIS AND CARTILAGE
(2022)
Article
Orthopedics
N. Chaudhry, H. Muhammad, C. Seidl, D. Downes, D. A. Young, Y. Hao, L. Zhu, T. L. Vincent
Summary: This study utilized CRISPR-Cas9 methodology to perform gene editing of miR-140 in human chondrocytes and identified several novel mechanosensitive targets of miR-140. These findings are important for understanding the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis.
OSTEOARTHRITIS AND CARTILAGE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Petar Markov, Hanxing Zhu, Craig Boote, Emma J. Blain
Summary: This study investigates the effects of elevated intra-ocular pressure on scleral fibroblasts, using bovine cells as a model for human glaucoma. The research explores the changes in cytoskeletal organization, chromatin condensation, and cell dimensions under physiological and pathological loads. The findings suggest that elevated pressure inhibits cytoskeletal remodeling and induces chromatin condensation, potentially compromising cell behavior.
BIOCHEMISTRY AND BIOPHYSICS REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
S. J. Gilbert, E. J. Blain, D. J. Mason
Summary: This study demonstrates that IFN-gamma can promote inflammatory and degenerative events in articular chondrocytes and osteoblasts via PKR activation. The activation of both IFN-gamma and PKR signaling in early post-traumatic OA (PTOA) may contribute to joint degeneration and provide potential targets for therapeutic intervention.
BIOCHEMISTRY AND BIOPHYSICS REPORTS
(2022)
Review
Physiology
Lekau Dintwa, Clare E. Hughes, Emma J. Blain
Summary: Circadian rhythmicity is controlled by internal cellular oscillators and a master clock. The mechanical regulation of circadian clocks in musculoskeletal tissues has been extensively studied, except for articular cartilage. This review summarizes the literature on mechano-regulation of circadian clocks and their importance in understanding articular cartilage mechanobiology.
PHYSIOLOGICAL REPORTS
(2023)