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  Cornell University

MAE Publications and Papers

Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

New article: Elastoviscous Transitions of Articular Cartilage Reveal a Mechanism of Synergy between Lubricin and Hyaluronic Acid

Article:  Bonnevie, ED; Galesso, D; Secchieri, C; Cohen, I; Bonassar, LJ; (2015)  “Elastoviscous Transitions of Articular Cartilage Reveal a Mechanism of Synergy between Lubricin and Hyaluronic Acid”, PLOS One, 10 (11)

DOI

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.

Funding Acknowledgement:  National Science Foundation; Fidia Farmaceutici SpA; National Science Foundation [DMR-1056662]; NSF MRSEC program [DMR-1120296]; National Institutes of Health [1S10RR025502-01]

Funding Text:  This project was supported by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (EDB) and Fidia Farmaceutici SpA and partially supported by the National Science Foundation under award No. DMR-1056662 (IC). Facilities and instruments used in this study were also supported by the NSF MRSEC program (DMR-1120296), and the National Institutes of Health (1S10RR025502-01). Coauthors Galesso and Secchieri are employees of Fidia Farmaceutici SpA and were involved in experimental design, material preparation, and manuscript preparation.

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