Isolated effects of external bath osmolality, solute concentration, and electrical charge on solute transport across articular cartilage.
Abstract: The metabolic function of cartilage primarily depends on transport of solutes through diffusion mechanism. In the current study, we use contrast enhanced micro-computed tomography to determine equilibrium concentration of solutes through different cartilage zones and solute flux in the cartilage, using osteochondral plugs from equine femoral condyles. Diffusion experiments were performed with two solutes of different charge and approximately equal molecular weight, namely iodixanol (neutral) and ioxaglate (charge=-1) in order to isolate the effects of solute's charge on diffusion. Furthermore, solute concentrations as well as bath osmolality were changed to isolate the effects of steric hindrance on diffusion. Bath concentration and bath osmolality only had minor effects on the diffusion of the neutral solute through cartilage at the surface, middle and deep zones, indicating that the diffusion of the neutral solute was mainly Fickian. The negatively charged solute diffused considerably slower through cartilage than the neutral solute, indicating a large non-Fickian contribution in the diffusion of charged molecules. The numerical models determined maximum solute flux in the superficial zone up to a factor of 2.5 lower for the negatively charged solutes (charge=-1) as compared to the neutral solutes confirming the importance of charge-matrix interaction in diffusion of molecules across cartilage.
Copyright © 2016 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2016-10-06 PubMed ID: 27720635DOI: 10.1016/j.medengphy.2016.09.003Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The study investigates how osmolality, solute concentration, and electrical charge affect the transport of solutes across cartilage. It found that the diffusion of neutrally charged solutes is primarily Fickian, while charged solutes diffuse slower due to a significant non-Fickian contribution, highlighting the importance of charge-matrix interactions in diffusion.
Objective of the Research
- This research aimed to understand the role of different factors (osmolality, solute concentration, and electrical charge) on solute transport across articular cartilage. The focus was on the isolated effects of each factor for a more detailed understanding.
Methodology
- The researchers used contrast-enhanced micro-computed tomography to determine the equilibrium concentration of solutes in different cartilage zones and the rate of solute flux.
- Samples of cartilage were taken from equine femoral condyles.
- The team performed diffusion experiments using two solutes with different charges (neutral and -1) but similar molecular weight. The solutes were iodixanol (neutral) and ioxaglate (charged).
Key Findings
- The study revealed that bath concentration and osmolality only had minor effects on the diffusion of the neutral solute across the cartilage surface, middle, and deep zones. This finding indicates that the diffusion process for neutral solutes is mainly Fickian (proportional to concentration gradients).
- Conversely, the negatively charged solute diffused notably slower through the cartilage compared to the neutral solute, suggesting that there’s a large non-Fickian contribution in the diffusion of charged molecules. Non-Fickian diffusion involves processes where transport is not merely proportional to concentration gradients, but is influenced by complex interactions like charge-matrix interactions.
Significance of the Results
- These findings underscore the importance of charge-matrix interaction in the diffusion of molecules across cartilage, with negatively charged molecules (like ioxaglate) diffusing up to 2.5 times slower than neutral ones (like iodixanol).
- These results could be useful for advancing our understanding of cartilage metabolism and health, potentially informing targeted therapeutic strategies.
Cite This Article
APA
Pouran B, Arbabi V, Zadpoor AA, Weinans H.
(2016).
Isolated effects of external bath osmolality, solute concentration, and electrical charge on solute transport across articular cartilage.
Med Eng Phys, 38(12), 1399-1407.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.medengphy.2016.09.003 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Orthopedics, UMC Utrecht, Heidelberglaan100, 3584CX Utrecht, The Netherlands; Department of Biomechanical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime, and Materials Engineering, Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), Mekelweg 2, 2628CD Delft, The Netherlands. Electronic address: b.pouran-2@umcutrecht.nl.
- Department of Orthopedics, UMC Utrecht, Heidelberglaan100, 3584CX Utrecht, The Netherlands; Department of Biomechanical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime, and Materials Engineering, Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), Mekelweg 2, 2628CD Delft, The Netherlands; Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Birjand, 61597175 Birjand, Iran.
- Department of Biomechanical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime, and Materials Engineering, Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), Mekelweg 2, 2628CD Delft, The Netherlands.
- Department of Orthopedics, UMC Utrecht, Heidelberglaan100, 3584CX Utrecht, The Netherlands; Department of Biomechanical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime, and Materials Engineering, Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), Mekelweg 2, 2628CD Delft, The Netherlands; Department of Rheumatology, UMC Utrecht, Heidelberglaan100, 3584CX Utrecht, The Netherlands.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Biological Transport
- Cartilage, Articular / cytology
- Cartilage, Articular / diagnostic imaging
- Cartilage, Articular / metabolism
- Contrast Media / metabolism
- Diffusion
- Electricity
- Horses
- Osmolar Concentration
- X-Ray Microtomography
Citations
This article has been cited 6 times.- Su Z, Zong Z, Deng J, Huang J, Liu G, Wei B, Cui L, Li G, Zhong H, Lin S. Lipid Metabolism in Cartilage Development, Degeneration, and Regeneration.. Nutrients 2022 Sep 25;14(19).
- Fantoni S, Gabucci I, Cardarelli P, Paternò G, Taibi A, Cristofori V, Trapella C, Bazzani A, Assenza M, Zanna Bonacorsi A, Conti D, Baruffaldi F. A Cationic Contrast Agent in X-ray Imaging of Articular Cartilage: Pre-Clinical Evaluation of Diffusion and Attenuation Properties.. Diagnostics (Basel) 2022 Aug 31;12(9).
- Hall ME, Wang AS, Gold GE, Levenston ME. Contrast solution properties and scan parameters influence the apparent diffusivity of computed tomography contrast agents in articular cartilage.. J R Soc Interface 2022 Aug;19(193):20220403.
- Kazemi M, Williams JL. Properties of Cartilage-Subchondral Bone Junctions: A Narrative Review with Specific Focus on the Growth Plate.. Cartilage 2021 Dec;13(2_suppl):16S-33S.
- Pouran B, Moshtagh PR, Arbabi V, Snabel J, Stoop R, Ruberti J, Malda J, Zadpoor AA, Weinans H. Non-enzymatic cross-linking of collagen type II fibrils is tuned via osmolality switch.. J Orthop Res 2018 Jul;36(7):1929-1936.
- Arbabi V, Pouran B, Zadpoor AA, Weinans H. An Experimental and Finite Element Protocol to Investigate the Transport of Neutral and Charged Solutes across Articular Cartilage.. J Vis Exp 2017 Apr 23;(122).
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