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Cited by 159Proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans researchOsteoarthritis Treatment and MechanismsForce Microscopy Techniques and Applications

Articular Cartilage Proteoglycans As Boundary Lubricants: Structure and Frictional Interaction of Surface-Attached Hyaluronan and Hyaluronan–Aggrecan Complexes

Seror, Jasmine, Merkher, Yulia, Kampf, Nir, Collinson, Lisa, Day, Anthony J., Maroudas, Alice, Klein, Jacob·2011·Biomacromolecules
DOI 10.1021/bm2004912
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Abstract

Mammalian synovial joints are extremely efficient lubrication systems reaching friction coefficient μ as low as 0.001 at high pressures (up to 100 atm) and shear rates (up to 10(6) to 10(7) Hz); however, despite much previous work, the exact mechanism responsible for this behavior is still unknown. In this work, we study the molecular mechanism of synovial joint lubrication by emulating the articular cartilage superficial zone structure. Macromolecules extracted and purified from bovine hip joints using well-known biochemical techniques and characterized with atomic force microscope (AFM) have been used to reconstruct a hyaluronan (HA)--aggrecan layer on the surface of molecularly smooth mica. Aggrecan forms, with the help of link protein, supramolecular complexes with the surface-attached HA similar to those at the cartilage/synovial fluid interface. Using a surface force balance (SFB), normal and shear interactions between a HA--aggrecan-coated mica surface and bare mica have been examined, focusing, in particular, on the frictional forces. In each stage, control studies have been performed to ensure careful monitoring of the macromolecular surface layers. We found the aggrecan--HA complex to be a much better boundary lubricant than the HA alone, an effect attributed largely to the fluid hydration sheath bound to the highly charged glycosaminoglycan (GAG) segments on the aggrecan core protein. A semiquantitative model of the osmotic pressure is used to describe the normal force profiles between the surfaces and interpret the boundary lubrication mechanism of such layers.

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Crossref · 10.1021/bm2004912

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  • Seror et al. reconstructed HA and HA/agg complex onto mica surfaces in SFB and measured boundary lubrication.

    “In a series of papers, Seror et al. [121, 122] reconstructed both HA and, separately, the HA/agg complex onto the mica surfaces in the SFB, and measured the resulting boundary lubrication, as summarized in Fig. 18.”

    From Hydration lubrication (2013) · cites this paper as [121]

  • Once Agg molecules are attached to HA to form complexes, friction coefficient is markedly reduced to ≈0.01 up to ca. 10 atm pressure.

    “Once Agg molecules are attached to the HA to form complexes similar to those in bulk native cartilage, as indicated by the right cartoon in Fig. 18, the friction coefficient is markedly reduced (to  ≈ 0.01) up to ca. 10 atm pressure.”

    From Hydration lubrication (2013) · cites this paper as [121]

  • In Seror et al.'s experiments, HA was attached to mica by coating mica with avidin and functionalizing HA with biotin, which forms strong specific attachment.

    “In these experiments the HA was first attached to the mica. HA is negatively charged, as is the mica, and to induce its attachment the mica was coated with avidin and the HA was functionalized with biotin; biotin forms strong specific attachment to avidin, as indicated schematically in the left inset in Fig. 18.”

    From Hydration lubrication (2013) · cites this paper as [121]

  • At higher pressures (above ca. 15 atm), friction coefficient increases, possibly due to greater bridging likelihood.

    “At higher pressures -from above ca. 15 atm in the study by Seror et al. -the friction coefficient increases as shown, possibly due to a greater bridging likelihood.”

    From Hydration lubrication (2013) · cites this paper as [121]

  • Friction coefficient between two HA-coated surfaces is rather high (≈0.3) already at quite low pressures.

    “Friction forces as a function of the load, shown as empty triangles and stars in Fig. 18, indicate a rather high friction coefficient ( ≈ 0.3) between two such HA-coated surfaces already at quite low pressures.”

    From Hydration lubrication (2013) · cites this paper as [121]

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Authors
Seror, J., Merkher, Y., Kampf, N., Collinson, L., Day, A. J., Maroudas, A., & Klein, J.
Affiliations
  • Weizmann Institute of Science (IL)
  • Technion – Israel Institute of Technology (IL)
  • Wellcome Centre for Cell-Matrix Research (GB)
Corresponding author
Klein, Jacob
ORCID
Venue
Biomacromolecules
Publisher
American Chemical Society (ACS)
Published
2011-09-01
Volume
12
Issue
10
Pages
3432-3443
ISSN
  • 1525-7797 (ISSN-L)
  • 1526-4602
DOI
10.1021/bm2004912
OpenAlex
W2137872572
Cited by
159
References
88
Citations by year
2026: 11 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 19 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 16 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 13 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 7
FWCI
4.60
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Biomacromolecules (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Research Explorer (The University of Manchester) (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Rheumatology › Osteoarthritis Treatment and Mechanisms
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics › Force Microscopy Techniques and Applications
Keywords
articular cartilage, boundary lubrication, hyaluronic acid, aggrecan, synovial joint lubrication, friction coefficient, link protein, osmotic pressure, surface force balance
MeSH terms
Aluminum Silicates, Animals, Biocompatible Materials, Biomechanical Phenomena, Cartilage, Articular, Cattle, Humans, Hyaluronic Acid, Joints, Osmotic Pressure, Surface Properties, Synovial Fluid, Tissue Extracts, Friction, Microscopy, Atomic Force, Tissue Engineering, Aggrecans

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