Xia Yang, Darling Eric M, Herzog Walter
Department of Physics and Center for Biomedical Research, Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan, 48309.
Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology, and Biotechnology, School of Engineering, Dept of Orthopaedics, Center for Biomedical Engineering, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, 02912.
J Orthop Res. 2018 Feb;36(2):620-631. doi: 10.1002/jor.23757. Epub 2017 Nov 22.
Mature chondrocytes in adult articular cartilage vary in number, size, and shape, depending on their depth in the tissue, location in the joint, and source species. Chondrocytes are the primary structural, functional, and metabolic unit in articular cartilage, the loss of which will induce fatigue to the extracellular matrix (ECM), eventually leading to failure of the cartilage and impairment of the joint as a whole. This brief review focuses on the functional and biomechanical studies of chondrocytes and articular cartilage, using microscopic imaging from optical microscopies to scanning probe microscopy. Three topics are covered in this review, including the functional studies of chondrons by optical imaging (unpolarized and polarized light and infrared light, two-photon excitation microscopy), the probing of chondrocytes and cartilage directly using microscale measurement techniques, and different imaging approaches that can measure chondrocyte mechanics and chondrocyte biological signaling under in situ and in vivo environments. Technical advancement in chondrocyte research during recent years has enabled new ways to study the biomechanical and functional properties of these cells and cartilage. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 36:620-631, 2018.
成年关节软骨中的成熟软骨细胞在数量、大小和形状上存在差异，这取决于它们在组织中的深度、在关节中的位置以及来源物种。软骨细胞是关节软骨中的主要结构、功能和代谢单位，其缺失会导致细胞外基质（ECM）疲劳，最终导致软骨失效和整个关节受损。本简要综述聚焦于软骨细胞和关节软骨的功能及生物力学研究，采用从光学显微镜到扫描探针显微镜的微观成像技术。本综述涵盖三个主题，包括通过光学成像（非偏振光和偏振光以及红外光、双光子激发显微镜）对软骨粒进行功能研究、直接使用微观测量技术探测软骨细胞和软骨，以及能够在原位和体内环境下测量软骨细胞力学和软骨细胞生物信号的不同成像方法。近年来软骨细胞研究的技术进步为研究这些细胞和软骨的生物力学及功能特性提供了新途径。© 2017骨科研究协会。由威利期刊公司出版。《矫形外科学研究》36:620 - 631，2018年。
