Surface characteristics cartilage

Chronic inflammation of the synovial tissue lining the joint capsule results in the proliferation of this tissue. The inflamed, proliferating synovium characteristic of rheumatoid arthritis is called parmus (Fig. 89-1). This pannus invades the cartilage and eventually the bone surface, producing erosions of bone and cartilage and leading to destruction of the joint. The factors that initiate the inflammatory process are unknown. 

This was taken as the position where the surface of the cartilage was just making contact with the platen without being compressed. The speed setting for the motor drive was then adjusted to compress the tissue at a desired strain rate and the experiment was begun. At selected strains the motor drive was stopped and the dissipation of the load with time was followed until a time invariant value, characteristic for a given strain, was attained. The tissue was then compressed to a new strain and the procedure repeated. 

Lipshitz, H. and Glimcher, M.J. In vitro studies of wear of articular cartilage, II. Characteristics of the wear of articular cartilage when worn against stainless steel plates having characterized surfaces. Wear 52,297-337,1979. 

Another important characteristic of natural tribological systems is that they usually involve soft surfaces, as exemplified by slugs, eyes, tongues, and cartilage-coated articular joints. In response to external loads, such soft surfaces deform elastically and increase the contact area, resulting in a relatively low contact pressure. This is why Uquids whose vis-... 

Nikolaeva, S.S. Chkhol, K.Z., Bykov, V.A. et al. (2002) Biochemical characteristics and water exchange in the surface layer of human joint cartilage. Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine, 134 (4), 335-337. 

---