A computer-controlled mechanical culture system for biological testing of articular cartilage explants.
A computer-controlled mechanical culture system was designed to investigate the interaction between mechanical stimuli and the metabolism of articular cartilage. The main features of this system include the following capabilities: (1) Accurately controlled static, permanent cyclic or intermittent cyclic mechanical loads can be applied; (2) a great variety of different functions to load cartilage explants can be chosen; (3) a wide range of selectable forces (1.0-500 N) and frequencies (up to 5.0 Hz) can be used to load explants; (4) cartilage explants can be cultured and loaded within a standard CO2-incubator for extended time periods; (5) similar culture conditions are provided within the loading chambers as in standard tissue culture plates; (6) simultaneously the applied load and the resulting displacement of specimens is measured, and (7) the load chambers are biocompatible, sterilizable, and non-corrosive. We expect that the newly designed mechanical culture system will increase our understanding on the regulatory role of direct mechanical pressure on the metabolic activities of chondrocytes.
Steinmeyer
J
J
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Germany.
D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000502:physiology*; D002417:Cattle; D003201:Computers; D046508:Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D006652:Histological Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008297:Male; D016474:Weight-Bearing