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Updated: Dec 23, 2025
Addressing Practical Issues in Atomic Force Microscopy-Based Micro-Indentation on Human Articular Cartilage Explants
Published on: October 28, 2022
Changes in the mechanical properties of femoral cartilage tissue in advanced osteoarthritis
Szymon Ł Dragan1, Piotr Kuropka2, Mirosław Kulej1
1Department of Regenerative and Restoration Medicine in Orthopedics, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Wrocław Medical University, Wrocław, Poland.
Purpose:
The main goal of this article was the analysis of the changes of mechanical properties, thickness and histology of the cartilage in different regions of the femur head in advanced stage of the osteoarthritis.
Methods:
The study material consisted of cylindrical specimens (9.7 mm) prepared form proximal epiphysis of the human femur bone after hip arthroplasty. The thickness was determined from the reconstruction of the specimen from microtomography (SkyScan 1172, Bruker®) images. Mechanical properties of the cartilage tissue were identified in static indentation test conducted the use of MTS® Synergie 100 testing machine. Histological study enabled us to determine cartilage total thickness as well as location and orientation of the collagen fibers.
Results:
Depending on the region of the head, the cartilage tissue thickness was in the range (0.74-2.23 mm). The lowest thickness values were obtained for the R5 region and the lowest for R4. Samples from R1-R4 regions differ by 24%. Measurements of cartilage tissue indentation, determined with the help of Hayes' formula, showed that the values of mechanical parameters in regions R1, R2, R3 and R5 have similar values (the difference between them is about 5.5%). Region R4, which had the smallest thickness, also had the lowest values of mechanical parameters.
Conclusions:
Using κ coefficients, proposed by Hayes, enabled us to obtain similar values of mechanical parameters in the regions R1, R2, R3 and R5, despite differences in cartilage tissue thickness. The R4 region, which had the weakest mechanical parameters, was characterized by the strongest reduction of the articular cartilage tissue, which was accompanied by an unformed mass of cartilage residue originating from the abraded surface and bursa fluid.
