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Friction 2024, 12(5): 981-996 https://doi.org/10.1007/s40544-023-0822-y
Research Article | Open Access | Issue | Published: 02 February 2024

Experimental study on boundary lubricity of superficial area of articular cartilage and synovial fluid

Show Author's Information Wenxiao LI1( ),  Takehiro MORITA1,2,  Yoshinori SAWAE1,2,3
Departure of Mechanical Engineering, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 8190395, Japan
International Institute for Carton-Neutral Energy Research, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 8190395, Japan
Advanced Research Center for Biomechanics, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 8190395, Japan
Keywords:
boundary lubrication, articular cartilage, synovial fluid, the uppermost superficial layer
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LI W, MORITA T, SAWAE Y. Experimental study on boundary lubricity of superficial area of articular cartilage and synovial fluid. Friction, 2024, 12(5): 981-996. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40544-023-0822-y
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Abstract Full text About this article

The boundary lubrication mechanism at the articulating surface of natural synovial joints has been the subject of much discussion in tribology. In this study, to elucidate the lubricating function of the superficial area of articular cartilage and synovial fluid (SF), cartilage specimens were processed with four different treatments: gentle and severe washing with detergent, incubation in NaCl solution, and trypsin digestion to selectively remove certain constituents from the cartilage surface. Subsequently, the frictional characteristics were examined in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and SF against glass. Angularly reciprocating sliding tests with a spherical glass probe and square articular cartilage specimens were performed at low contact loads in the mN range to extract the frictional behavior in the superficial area of the cartilage specimens. Meanwhile, the cartilage surface was observed to confirm the effects of treatments on the morphology of the cartilage surface using a fluorescence microscope and water-immersion methods. The coefficient of friction (COF) of the prepared cartilage specimens was varied from 0.05 to over 0.3 in PBS. However, a certain group of cartilage specimens exhibited a low COF of less than 0.1 with limited variation. For the low COF group of specimens, all four treatments increased the COF in PBS to different extents, and fluorescence microscopy revealed that the integrity of the cartilage surface was deteriorated by treatments. This means that the intact cartilage surface had lubricating constituents to maintain low friction, and the removal of such constituents resulted in the loss of the intrinsic boundary lubricity of the cartilage surface. The variation in the COF of the cartilage specimens was suppressed in SF because it had a clear boundary lubrication effect on the cartilage surface. The lubricating effect of SF could be confirmed even after degenerative treatment.


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About this article

Experimental study on boundary lubricity of superficial area of articular cartilage and synovial fluid

Show Author's information Wenxiao LI1( ), Takehiro MORITA1,2, Yoshinori SAWAE1,2,3
Departure of Mechanical Engineering, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 8190395, Japan
International Institute for Carton-Neutral Energy Research, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 8190395, Japan
Advanced Research Center for Biomechanics, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 8190395, Japan

Abstract

The boundary lubrication mechanism at the articulating surface of natural synovial joints has been the subject of much discussion in tribology. In this study, to elucidate the lubricating function of the superficial area of articular cartilage and synovial fluid (SF), cartilage specimens were processed with four different treatments: gentle and severe washing with detergent, incubation in NaCl solution, and trypsin digestion to selectively remove certain constituents from the cartilage surface. Subsequently, the frictional characteristics were examined in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and SF against glass. Angularly reciprocating sliding tests with a spherical glass probe and square articular cartilage specimens were performed at low contact loads in the mN range to extract the frictional behavior in the superficial area of the cartilage specimens. Meanwhile, the cartilage surface was observed to confirm the effects of treatments on the morphology of the cartilage surface using a fluorescence microscope and water-immersion methods. The coefficient of friction (COF) of the prepared cartilage specimens was varied from 0.05 to over 0.3 in PBS. However, a certain group of cartilage specimens exhibited a low COF of less than 0.1 with limited variation. For the low COF group of specimens, all four treatments increased the COF in PBS to different extents, and fluorescence microscopy revealed that the integrity of the cartilage surface was deteriorated by treatments. This means that the intact cartilage surface had lubricating constituents to maintain low friction, and the removal of such constituents resulted in the loss of the intrinsic boundary lubricity of the cartilage surface. The variation in the COF of the cartilage specimens was suppressed in SF because it had a clear boundary lubrication effect on the cartilage surface. The lubricating effect of SF could be confirmed even after degenerative treatment.

Keywords: boundary lubrication, articular cartilage, synovial fluid, the uppermost superficial layer

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Publication history

Received: 08 March 2023
Revised: 09 August 2023
Accepted: 30 August 2023
Published: 02 February 2024
Issue date: May 2024

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© The author(s) 2023.

Acknowledgements

Financial support was given by the Grant-in Aid for Scientific Research (A) of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (21H04535).

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