title: Neutral solute transport across osteochondral interface: A finite element approach.
abstract: Investigation of the solute transfer across articular cartilage and subchondral bone plate could nurture the understanding of the mechanisms of osteoarthritis (OA) progression. In the current study, we approached the transport of neutral solutes in human (slight OA) and equine (healthy) samples using both computed tomography and biphasic-solute finite element modeling. We developed a multi-zone biphasic-solute finite element model (FEM) accounting for the inhomogeneity of articular cartilage (superficial, middle and deep zones) and subchondral bone plate. Fitting the FEM model to the concentration-time curves of the cartilage and the equilibrium concentration of the subchondral plate/calcified cartilage enabled determination of the diffusion coefficients in the superficial, middle and deep zones of cartilage and subchondral plate. We found slightly higher diffusion coefficients for all zones in the human samples as compared to the equine samples. Generally the diffusion coefficient in the superficial zone of human samples was about 3-fold higher than the middle zone, the diffusion coefficient of the middle zone was 1.5-fold higher than that of the deep zone, and the diffusion coefficient of the deep zone was 1.5-fold higher than that of the subchondral plate/calcified cartilage. Those ratios for equine samples were 9, 2 and 1.5, respectively. Regardless of the species considered, there is a gradual decrease of the diffusion coefficient as one approaches the subchondral plate, whereas the rate of decrease is dependent on the type of species.
authors: Department of Biomechanical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime, and Materials Engineering, Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), Mekelweg 2, 2628CD Delft, The Netherlands; Department of Orthopedics, UMC Utrecht, Heidelberglaan100, 3584CX Utrecht, The Netherlands. Electronic address: v.arbabi@gmail.com.
authors: Vahid
authors: V
authors: Arbabi
authors: Department of Biomechanical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime, and Materials Engineering, Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), Mekelweg 2, 2628CD Delft, The Netherlands; Department of Orthopedics, UMC Utrecht, Heidelberglaan100, 3584CX Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors: Behdad
authors: B
authors: Pouran
authors: Department of Biomechanical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime, and Materials Engineering, Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), Mekelweg 2, 2628CD Delft, The Netherlands; Department of Orthopedics, UMC Utrecht, Heidelberglaan100, 3584CX Utrecht, The Netherlands; Department of Rheumatology, UMC Utrecht, Heidelberglaan100, 3584CX Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors: Harrie
authors: H
authors: Weinans
authors: Department of Biomechanical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime, and Materials Engineering, Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), Mekelweg 2, 2628CD Delft, The Netherlands.
authors: Amir A
authors: AA
authors: Zadpoor
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D005269:Femur / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology; D020342:Finite Element Analysis; D006736:Horses; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
keywords: Articular cartilage; Biphasic-solute mixture model; Diffusion coefficient; Iodixanol; Micro-computed tomography; Subchondral bone plate