title: Effect of glutaraldehyde fixation on the frictional response of immature bovine articular cartilage explants.
abstract: This study examined functional properties and biocompatibility of glutaraldehyde-fixed bovine articular cartilage over several weeks of incubation at body temperature to investigate its potential use as a resurfacing material in joint arthroplasty. In the first experiment, treated cartilage disks were fixed using 0.02, 0.20 and 0.60% glutaraldehyde for 24h then incubated, along with an untreated control group, in saline for up to 28d at 37°C. Both the equilibrium compressive and tensile moduli increased nearly twofold in treated samples compared to day 0 control, and remained at that level from day 1 to 28; the equilibrium friction coefficient against glass rose nearly twofold immediately after fixation (day 1) but returned to control values after day 7. Live explants co-cultured with fixed explants showed no quantitative difference in cell viability over 28d. In general, no significant differences were observed between 0.20 and 0.60% groups, so 0.20% was deemed sufficient for complete fixation. In the second experiment, cartilage-on-cartilage frictional measurements were performed under a migrating contact configuration. In the treated group, one explant was fixed using 0.20% glutaraldehyde while the apposing explant was left untreated; in the control group both explants were left untreated. From day 1 to 28, the treated group exhibited either no significant difference or slightly lower friction coefficient than the untreated group. These results suggest that a properly titrated glutaraldehyde treatment can reproduce the desired functional properties of native articular cartilage and maintain these properties for at least 28d at body temperature.
authors: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
authors: Sevan R
authors: SR
authors: Oungoulian
authors: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
authors: Kristin E
authors: KE
authors: Hehir
authors: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
authors: Kaicen
authors: K
authors: Zhu
authors: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
authors: Callen E
authors: CE
authors: Willis
authors: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
authors: Anca G
authors: AG
authors: Marinescu
authors: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
authors: Natasha
authors: N
authors: Merali
authors: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
authors: Christopher S
authors: CS
authors: Ahmad
authors: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
authors: Clark T
authors: CT
authors: Hung
authors: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA. Electronic address: ateshian@columbia.edu.
authors: Gerard A
authors: GA
authors: Ateshian
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001705:Bioprosthesis; D001831:Body Temperature; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D002417:Cattle; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D019245:Compressive Strength / Q000187:drug effects; D005404:Fixatives / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017276:Friction / Q000187:drug effects*; D005976:Glutaral / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008422:Materials Testing; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000503:physiopathology; D013718:Tensile Strength / Q000187:drug effects; D016474:Weight-Bearing
chemical_list: D005404:Fixatives; D005976:Glutaral
keywords: Cartilage; Damage; Friction; Osteoarthritis; Wear