Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of The City University of New York, Steinaman Hall T-565, 140th Street and Convent Avenue, New York, NY 10031, USA.
Ann Biomed Eng. 2010 Mar;38(3):621-31. doi: 10.1007/s10439-009-9865-0. Epub 2009 Dec 16.
The influence of biomechanical stimuli on modulating cartilage homeostasis is well recognized. However, many aspects of cellular mechanotransduction in cartilage remain unknown. We developed a computer-controlled joint motion and loading system (JMLS) to study the biological response of cartilage under well-characterized mechanical loading environments. The JMLS was capable of controlling (i) angular displacement, (ii) motion frequency, (iii) magnitude of the axial compressive load applied to the moving joint, and it featured real-time monitoring. The accuracy and repeatability of angular position measurements, the kinematic misalignment error as well as the repositioning error of the JMLS were evaluated. The effectiveness of the JMLS in implementing well-defined loading protocols such as moderate Passive Motion Loading (PML) and increased Compressive Motion Loading (CML) were tested. The JMLS demonstrated remarkable accuracy and reliability for the measurement and kinematics tests. Moreover, the effectiveness test demonstrated the ability of the JMLS to produce an effective stimulus via PML that led to the suppression of the catabolic effects of immobilization. Interestingly, the biological response of the CML group was catabolic and exhibited a pattern similar to that observed in the immobilization group. This novel non-invasive system may be useful for joint biomechanics studies that require different treatment conditions of load and motion in vivo.
生物力学刺激对调节软骨稳态的影响已得到广泛认可。然而，软骨细胞力学转导的许多方面仍不清楚。我们开发了一种计算机控制的关节运动和加载系统（JMLS），以研究在特征明确的机械加载环境下软骨的生物学反应。JMLS 能够控制（i）角位移，（ii）运动频率，（iii）作用于运动关节的轴向压缩载荷的大小，并具有实时监测功能。评估了 JMLS 的角位置测量的准确性和重复性、运动学不匹配误差以及重新定位误差。测试了 JMLS 实施明确加载方案（如适度的被动运动加载（PML）和增加的压缩运动加载（CML））的有效性。JMLS 在测量和运动学测试中表现出出色的准确性和可靠性。此外，有效性测试表明 JMLS 能够通过 PML 产生有效刺激，从而抑制固定的分解代谢作用。有趣的是，CML 组的生物学反应是分解代谢的，并表现出与固定组相似的模式。这种新型的非侵入性系统可能对需要在体内进行不同负荷和运动治疗条件的关节生物力学研究有用。
