Cited by 341Polymer Surface Interaction StudiesForce Microscopy Techniques and ApplicationsLubricants and Their Additives

Adsorption, Lubrication, and Wear of Lubricin on Model Surfaces: Polymer Brush-Like Behavior of a Glycoprotein

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Zappone, Bruno, Ruths, Marina, Greene, George W., Jay, Gregory D., Israelachvili, Jacob N.·2007·Biophysical Journal

Abstract

Using a surface force apparatus, we have measured the normal and friction forces between layers of the human glycoprotein lubricin, the major boundary lubricant in articular joints, adsorbed from buffered saline solution on various hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces: i), negatively charged mica, ii), positively charged poly-lysine and aminothiol, and iii), hydrophobic alkanethiol monolayers. On all these surfaces lubricin forms dense adsorbed layers of thickness 60-100 nm. The normal force between two surfaces is always repulsive and resembles the steric entropic force measured between layers of end-grafted polymer brushes. This is the microscopic mechanism behind the antiadhesive properties showed by lubricin in clinical tests. For pressures up to approximately 6 atm, lubricin lubricates hydrophilic surfaces, in particular negatively charged mica (friction coefficient mu = 0.02-0.04), much better than hydrophobic surfaces (mu > 0.3). At higher pressures, the friction coefficient is higher (mu > 0.2) for all surfaces considered and the lubricin layers rearrange under shear. However, the glycoprotein still protects the underlying substrate from damage up to much higher pressures. These results support recent suggestions that boundary lubrication and wear protection in articular joints are due to the presence of a biological polyelectrolyte on the cartilage surfaces.

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  1. Jay, G. D. 1990. Joint lubrication: a physico-chemical study of a puri- fied lubricating factor from bovine synovial fluid. PhD thesis. State University of New York, Stony Brook, NY.

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Authors
Zappone, B., Ruths, M., Greene, G. W., Jay, G. D., & Israelachvili, J. N.
Affiliations
  • University of California, Santa Barbara (US)
  • University of Massachusetts Lowell (US)
  • Brown University (US)
Corresponding author
Israelachvili, Jacob N.
Venue
Biophysical Journal
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2007-03
Volume
92
Issue
5
Pages
1693-1708
ISSN
0006-3495 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2064741792
Cited by
341
References
65
Citations by year
2026: 14 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 19 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 15 · 2020: 21 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 19 · 2017: 19 · 2016: 13 · 2015: 21 · 2014: 29 · 2013: 20 · 2012: 12
FWCI
6.85
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Biophysical Journal (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Deakin Research Online (Deakin University) (submittedVersion)
Funders
National Institutes of Health (KO8AG/AR01008)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Surfaces, Coatings and Films › Polymer Surface Interaction Studies
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics › Force Microscopy Techniques and Applications
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Mechanical Engineering › Lubricants and Their Additives
Keywords
lubricin, boundary lubrication, friction coefficient, wear protection, articular cartilage, mica, polylysine, aminothiols, alkanethiol monolayers, polyelectrolytes, adhesion prevention, surface forces
MeSH terms
Proteoglycan 4, Aluminum Silicates, Glycoproteins, Humans, Lubrication, Polylysine, Polymers, Surface Properties, Synovial Fluid, Shear Strength, Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions

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