The fractal structure of equine articular cartilage.
Abstract: The naturally occurring structure of articular cartilage has proven to be an effective means for the facilitation of motion and load support in equine and other animal joints. Cartilage has been found to be a complex and dynamic medium, which has led to an incomplete understanding of the nature and operating mechanisms acting within a joint. Although cartilage has biphasic and triphasic properties, it is believed that the performance of equine articular joints is influenced by the surface roughness of the joint cartilage (Ateshian et al., '98; Chan et al., 2011; Yao and Unsworth, '93). Various joint types with different motions and regimes of lubrication have altered demands on the articular surface that may affect cartilage surface properties. In research performed on freshly harvested samples, equine articular cartilage has been shown to possess a multiscale structure and a fractal dimension. It is thought that by determining the fractal dimension (D) of articular cartilage, a better understanding of the friction, wear, and lubrication mechanisms for biomechanic surfaces can eventually be reached. This study looks at the fractal dimensions of three different articular cartilage surfaces in the equine carpus: the radiocarpal, midcarpal, and carpometacarpal surfaces. The three surfaces provide an ideal comparison of fractal dimensions for a different range of motion, geometry, and loading. In each sample, identical treatment was performed during measurement by a stylus profilometer.
© Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Publication Date: 2012-06-29 PubMed ID: 22753326DOI: 10.1002/sca.21026Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research paper presents a study on the structural characteristics of equine articular cartilage, with a focus on the concept of fractal dimensions. The researchers aim to gain a deeper understanding of the friction, wear, and lubrication mechanisms within biomechanic surfaces.
Objective of the Study
- The main objective of the study revolves around understanding the fractal structure of equine articular cartilage. The researchers believe that deciphering the fractal dimensions of articular cartilage can provide important insights into the operational mechanisms of a joint, specifically in terms of friction, wear, and lubrication.
Important Concepts: Fractal Dimensions and Articular Cartilage
- The paper introduces the reader to the concept of fractal dimensions. In simple terms, a fractal is a shape that is complexly detailed and recurs at different scales. The fractal dimension is a statistical quantity that provides an index of how complex a fractal pattern is.
- The focus of the study is on articular cartilage, which is a type of connective tissue that facilitates motion and load support in animal joints. This part of the study aims to examine the structure of this particular cartilage in equine (horse) joints.
Joints in Study: Radiocarpal, Midcarpal, and Carpometacarpal
- To make this study more robust and obtain varying data, the researchers used three different articular cartilage surfaces in the horse’s joint – the radiocarpal, midcarpal, and carpometacarpal surfaces. The researchers believe that these three surfaces are ideal for comparison as they display a range of motion, geometry, and loading characteristics.
Method of Measurement
- To maintain consistency and increase the reliability of data, identical treatment was performed during the measurement on each sample. This was done using a tool known as a stylus profilometer, which maps out the surface roughness of each cartilage sample.
Impact and Importance of Study
- This study deepens the understanding of the naturally occurring structure of articular cartilage, seeking to aid the comprehension of how the cartilage effectively allows for motion and load support in joints. The articulation of the impact of different joint types on the cartilage surface properties, as well as insights into the lubrication, wear, and friction mechanism, have applicable potential in both the veterinary and human medical fields.
Cite This Article
APA
Smyth PA, Rifkin RE, Jackson RL, Reid Hanson R.
(2012).
The fractal structure of equine articular cartilage.
Scanning, 34(6), 418-426.
https://doi.org/10.1002/sca.21026 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Biometry / methods
- Cartilage, Articular / anatomy & histology
- Cartilage, Articular / physiology
- Horses
- Models, Theoretical
- Surface Properties
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- Te Moller NCR, Mohammadi A, Plomp S, Serra Bragança FM, Beukers M, Pouran B, Afara IO, Nippolainen E, Mäkelä JTA, Korhonen RK, Töyräs J, Brommer H, van Weeren PR. Structural, compositional, and functional effects of blunt and sharp cartilage damage on the joint: A 9-month equine groove model study.. J Orthop Res 2021 Nov;39(11):2363-2375.
- Guerriero G, Silvestrini L, Obersriebnig M, Salerno M, Pum D, Strauss J. Sensitivity of Aspergillus nidulans to the cellulose synthase inhibitor dichlobenil: insights from wall-related genes' expression and ultrastructural hyphal morphologies.. PLoS One 2013;8(11):e80038.
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