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Related Concept Videos

Joints01:26

Joints

36.0K
Joints, also called articulations or articular surfaces, are points at which ligaments or other tissues connect adjacent bones. Joints permit movement and stability, and can be classified based on their structure or function.
Structural joint classifications are based on the material that makes up the joint as well as whether or not the joint contains a space between the bones. Joints are structurally classified as fibrous, cartilaginous, or synovial.
Fibrous Joints Are Immovable
The bones of a...
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Structural Joints: Synovial Joints01:16

Structural Joints: Synovial Joints

9.0K
Synovial joints are the most common type of joint in the body. A key structural characteristic for a synovial joint is the presence of a joint cavity. This fluid-filled space is where the articulating surfaces of the bones contact each other. Also, unlike fibrous or cartilaginous joints, the articulating bone surfaces at a synovial joint are not directly connected to each other with fibrous connective tissue or cartilage. This gives the bones of a synovial joint the ability to move smoothly...
9.0K
Development of the Limb Synovial Joints01:07

Development of the Limb Synovial Joints

2.5K
Joints form during embryonic development in conjunction with the formation and growth of the associated bones. The embryonic tissue that gives rise to all bones, cartilage, and connective tissues of the body is called mesenchyme.
The mesenchymal stem cells differentiate into chondrocytes that form the hyaline cartilage, and later the cartilaginous model of the bone. This model further transforms into a bone. This process is known as endochondral ossification.
During development, the limbs...
2.5K
Structural Joints: Cartilaginous Joints01:17

Structural Joints: Cartilaginous Joints

4.4K
As the name indicates, at a cartilaginous joint, the adjacent bones are united by cartilage, a tough but flexible type of connective tissue. Unlike synovial joints, these types of joints lack a joint cavity and involve bones joined together by either hyaline cartilage or fibrocartilage.
There are two types of cartilaginous joints:
Synchondrosis
A synchondrosis ("joined by cartilage") is a cartilaginous joint where bones are connected by hyaline cartilage. Synchondrosis may be temporary...
4.4K
Movement Joints in Buildings01:27

Movement Joints in Buildings

387
Movement joints in buildings are essential design elements that accommodate inevitable motions caused by various factors such as temperature changes, moisture content variations, and structural deflections. These motions, if not considered in design and construction, can lead to unsightly or dangerous damage. Movement joints are incorporated in different forms to manage these stresses and allow materials to move without causing distress.
The simplest type of movement joints, working joints, are...
387
Introduction to Joints00:58

Introduction to Joints

5.2K
The adult human body usually has 206 bones, and except for the hyoid bone in the neck, each bone is connected to at least one other bone. Joints are the location where bones come together. Many joints allow for movement between the bones. At these joints, the articulating surfaces of the adjacent bones can move smoothly against each other. However, the bones of other joints may be joined by connective tissue or cartilage. These joints are designed for stability and provide little or no...
5.2K

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 3, 2026

A Friction Testing-Bioreactor Device for Study of Synovial Joint Biomechanics, Mechanobiology, and Physical Regulation
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A Friction Testing-Bioreactor Device for Study of Synovial Joint Biomechanics, Mechanobiology, and Physical Regulation

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Colloidal joints with designed motion range and tunable joint flexibility.

Indrani Chakraborty1, Vera Meester, Casper van der Wel

  • 1Soft Matter Physics, Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden Institute of Physics, PO Box 9504, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands.

Nanoscale
|May 5, 2017
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers developed DNA-linked colloidal particles to create tunable joints for nanoscale machines. These colloidal joints control motion range and enable programmable self-assembly of flexible molecules and polymers.

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Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Nanotechnology
  • Biotechnology

Background:

  • Miniaturization of machines to the micron and nanoscale necessitates novel joint-like elements for controlled motion.
  • Existing methods for creating nanoscale joints are limited in flexibility and programmability.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a facile method for creating tunable colloidal joints using DNA-functionalized anisotropic particles.
  • To demonstrate quantitative control over joint flexibility and motion range by tuning DNA linker concentration and particle shape.
  • To showcase the application of these colloidal joints in programmable bottom-up self-assembly for creating complex colloidal structures.

Main Methods:

  • Functionalization of anisotropic colloidal particles with surface-mobile DNA linkers.
  • Quantitative analysis of colloidal joint flexibility by varying DNA linker concentration.
  • Experimental realization of different joint types (spherical joints, planar sliders, hinges) using various particle shapes (spheres, cubes, dumbbells).
  • Demonstration of self-assembly into flexible colloidal molecules and polymers.

Main Results:

  • Successful creation of colloidal joints with DNA linkers that control particle motion range.
  • Demonstrated quantitative control over joint flexibility by adjusting DNA linker concentration.
  • Showcased how particle shape dictates motion range via maximization of bond area.
  • Experimentally realized spherical joints, planar sliders, and hinges using spheres, cubes, and dumbbells.
  • Successfully assembled flexible colloidal molecules and polymers, highlighting potential for programmable self-assembly.

Conclusions:

  • Colloidal joints offer a versatile platform for creating reconfigurable and motion-constrained nanoscale elements.
  • These joints are promising building blocks for developing switchable materials and nanorobots.
  • The DNA-linker-based approach provides precise control over the mechanical properties of nanoscale assemblies.