title: Friction and morphology of pleural mesothelia.
abstract: To verify the hypothesis that by enmeshing lubricants, microvilli reduce the coefficient of kinetic friction (μ) of pleural mesothelium, μ was measured during reciprocating sliding of rabbit's visceral against parietal pleura before and after addition of hyaluronan, and related to the morphological features of the microvillar network. Because no relation was found between μ or μ changes after hyaluronan and microvillar characteristics, the latter are not determinants of the frictional forces which oppose sliding of normal mesothelial surfaces under physiological conditions, nor of the effects of hyaluronan. Addition of hyaluronan increased μ slightly but significantly in normal specimens, probably by altering the physiological mix of lubricants, but decreased μ of damaged mesothelia, suggesting protective, anti-abrasion properties. Indeed, while sliding of an injured against a normal pleura heavily damaged the latter and increased μ when Ringer was interposed between the surfaces, both effects were limited or prevented when hyaluronan was interposed between the injured and normal pleura before onset of sliding.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Fisiopatologia Medico Chirurgica e dei Trapianti, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy. Electronic address: matteo.pecchiari@unimi.it.
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pecchiari
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sartori
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Conte
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Fisiopatologia Medico Chirurgica e dei Trapianti, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Edgardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: D'Angelo
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Cliniche "L. Sacco", Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Moscheni
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004848:Epithelium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D017276:Friction; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007552:Isotonic Solutions / Q000008:administration & dosage; D054327:Lubricants / Q000008:administration & dosage; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008871:Microvilli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010994:Pleura / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011817:Rabbits; D012119:Respiration; D000077331:Ringer's Solution
chemical_list: D007552:Isotonic Solutions; D054327:Lubricants; D000077331:Ringer's Solution; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid
keywords: Friction; Hyaluronic acid; Microvilli; Pleura; Respiratory mechanics