title: Nanoscale shear deformation mechanisms of opposing cartilage aggrecan macromolecules.
abstract: The nanoscale shear deformation behavior of two opposing end-grafted aggrecan layers was studied in aqueous solutions using atomic force microscopy, and was observed to depend markedly on bath ionic strength, the presence of calcium ions, and the applied lateral displacement rate. These results provide molecular-level insights into the contribution of aggrecan deformation mechanisms to cartilage tissue-level material properties.
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Delphine
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dean
authors.forename: Pan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ortiz
authors.forename: Alan J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Grodzinsky
mesh_terms: D053674:Aggrecans / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D001703:Biophysics / Q000379:methods*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002356:Cartilage / Q000378:metabolism*; D007477:Ions; D046911:Macromolecular Substances / Q000378:metabolism*; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D013314:Stress, Mechanical
chemical_list: D053674:Aggrecans; D007477:Ions; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D002118:Calcium