Abstract
The structure and functionality of tissue-engineered cartilage is determined by the tissue culture conditions and mechanical conditioning during growth. The quality of tissue-engineered cartilage can be evaluated using tests such as the confined compression test. Tissue-engineered cartilage constructs usually consist of an outer layer of cartilage and an inner core of either undeveloped cartilage or degrading scaffold material. A biphasic poro-elastic finite element model was used to demonstrate how such a core influences the reaction force-time curve obtained from a confined compression test. The finite element model predicted that higher volumes of degraded scaffold in the inner core would reduce the aggregate modulus calculated from the confined compression test and raised the estimate of tissue permeability. The predicted aggregate modulus reduced from 0.135 MPa, for a homogenous construct, to 0.068 MPa, for a construct that was only 70% cartilaginous. It was found that biphasic poro-elastic finite modelling should be used in preference to a one-dimensional model that assumed homogeneity in estimating the properties of tissue-engineered cartilage.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Akizuki, S., Mow, V. C., Muller, F., Pita, C. J., Howell, D. S., andManicourt, D. H. (1986): ‘Tensile properties of human knee joint cartilage: I. Influence of ionic conditions, weight bearing, and fibrillation on the tensile modulus’,J. Orthopaed. Res.,4, pp. 379–392
Almedia, E. S., andSpilker, R. L. (1998): ‘Finite element formulations for hyperelastic transversely isotropic biphasic soft tissues’,Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Eng.,151, pp. 513–538
Bursac, P. M., Obitz, T. B., Eisenberg, S. R., andStamenovic, D. (1999): ‘Confined and unconfined stress relexation of cartilage: appropriateness of a transversely isotropic analysis’,J. Biomech.,32, pp. 1125–1130
Davisson, T., Kunig, S., Chen, A., Sah, R., andRatcliffe, A. (2002). ‘The effects of perfusion and compression on modulation of tissue-engineered cartilage’. Proc. 48th Ortho. Res. Soc., Dallas, Texas, paper 0488
Elmore, S. M., Sokoloff, L., Norris, G., andCarmeci, P. (1963): ‘Nature of ‘imperfect’ elasticity of articular cartilage’,J. Appl. Physiol.,18, pp. 393–396
Hayes, W. C., andMockros, L. F. (1971): ‘Visceoelastic properties of human articular cartilage’,J. Appl. Physiol.,31, pp. 562–568
Holmes, M. H., andMow, V. C. (1990): ‘The nonlinear characteristics of soft gels and hydrated connective tissues in ultrafiltration’,J. Biomech.,23, pp. 1145–1156
Korhonen, R. K., Laasanen, M. S., Toyras, J., Rieppo, J., Hirvonen, J., Helminen, H. J., andJurvelin, J. S. (2002): ‘Comparison of the equilibrium response of articular cartilage in unconfined compression, confined compression and indentation’,J. Biomech.,35, pp. 903–909
Kwan, M. K., Lai, W. M., andMow, V. C. (1990): ‘A finite deformation theory for cartilage and other soft hydrated connective tissues—I. Equilibrium results’,J. Biomech.,23, pp. 145–155
Ma, P. X., Schloo, B., Mooney, D., andLanger, R. (1995): ‘Development of biomechanical properties and morphogenesis of in vitro tissue-engineered cartilage’,J. Biomed. Mater. Res.,29, pp. 1587–1595
Ma, P. X., andLanger, R. (1999): ‘Morphology and mechanical function of long-term in vitro engineered cartilage’,J. Biomed. Mater. Res.,44, pp. 217–221
Mauck, R. L., Seyhan, S. L., Jamieson, K. V., Nicoll, S. B., Ateshian, G. A., andHung, C. T. (2002): ‘Synergistic effects of growth factors and dynamic loading for cartilage tissue engineering’. Proc. 48th Ortho. Res. Soc., Dallas, Texas, paper 0213
Mow, V. C., Kuei, S. C., Lai, W. M., andArmstrong, C. G. (1980): ‘Biphasic creep and stress relexation of articular cartilage in compression: Theory and experiments’,J. Biomech. Eng.,102, pp. 73–84
Mow, V. C., Holmes, M. H., andLai, W. M. (1984): ‘Fluid transport and mechanical properties of articular cartilage: a review’,J. Biomech.,17, pp. 377–394
Mow, V. C., Hou, J. S., Owens, J. M., andRatcliffe, A. (1990): ‘Biphasic and quasilinear viscoelastic theories for hydrated soft tissues’ in ‘Biomechanics of diarthrodial joints, vol. 1’ (Springer-Verlag, New York, 1990), pp. 215–260
Pei, M., Seidel, J., Vunjak-Novakovic, G., andFreed, L. E. (2002): ‘Differential effects of growth factors (TGF Beta-1, FGF-2, IGF-I) on engineered cartilage cellularity, structure and function’. Proc. 48th Ortho. Res. Soc., Dallas, Texas, paper 0484
Suh, J.-K., andBai, S. (1997): ‘Biphasic poroviscoelastic behaviour of articular cartilage in creep indentation test’. Trans. 43rd Ann. Meeting Orthopaedic Research Society, San Francisco, CA,22, p. 823
Vunjak-Novakovic, G., Martin, I., Obradovic, B., Treppo, S., Grodzinsky, A. J., Langer, R., andFreed, L. E. (1999): ‘Bioreactor cultivation conditions modulate the composition and mechanical properties of tissue-engineered cartilage’,J. Orthopaed. Res.,17, pp. 130–138
Woo, S. L.-Y., Akeson, W. H., andJemmott, G. F. (1976): ‘Measurements of nonhomogeneous, directional mechanical properties of articular cartilage in tension’,J. Biomech.,9, pp. 785–791
Woo, S. L., Simon, B. R., Kuei, S. C., andAkeson, W. H. (1980): ‘Quasi-linear viscoelastic properties of normal articular cartilage’,J. Biomech. Eng.,102, pp. 85–90
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kelly, D.J., Prendergast, P.J. Effect of a degraded core on the mechanical behaviour of tissueengineered cartilage constructs: A poro-elastic finite element analysis. Med. Biol. Eng. Comput. 42, 9–13 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02351005
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02351005