Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 3, 2025
07:06
Destabilization of the Medial Meniscus and Cartilage Scratch Murine Model of Accelerated Osteoarthritis
Published on: July 6, 2022
5.1K
Evolution of Meniscal Biomechanical Properties with Growth: An Experimental and Numerical Study
Marco Ferroni1, Beatrice Belgio1, Giuseppe M Peretti2,3
1Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering "Giulio Natta", Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy.
Bioengineering (Basel, Switzerland)
|June 2, 2021
Summary
Knee meniscus mechanical properties change during development, influenced by tissue composition and cell activity. Understanding these changes is key to knee joint health and injury prevention.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Biomaterials Science
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- The knee meniscus is crucial for joint function, involving load bearing, shock absorption, lubrication, and stability.
- Its complex fibro-cartilaginous structure comprises solid matrix constituents and a fluid phase, influencing mechanical behavior.
- Understanding meniscal development and its impact on mechanical response is vital for regenerative medicine and injury treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the interplay between meniscal tissue components and mechanical response during different developmental stages.
- To correlate biochemical composition (glycosaminoglycan and DNA content) with mechanical properties.
- To utilize numerical simulations for a deeper understanding of meniscal mechanics and tissue development.
Main Methods:
- Biochemical analysis of glycosaminoglycan (GAG) and DNA content in porcine menisci at various developmental stages.
- In vitro mechanical testing, including multi-ramp stress-relaxation tests under compression and tension.
- Development and application of numerical models (poro-elasticity, viscoelasticity, transversal isotropy) using COMSOL Multiphysics.
Main Results:
- Meniscal tissue exhibits non-linear, anisotropic, and non-homogeneous mechanical behavior, with properties varying by strain, load direction, and region.
- Numerical simulations revealed the distinct roles of tissue components under different mechanical stimuli.
- Biochemical data correlated with mechanical properties, indicating cell differentiation and extracellular matrix changes during maturation.
Conclusions:
- Meniscal maturation involves increased GAG/DNA ratio, suggesting chondrocyte differentiation and contributing to enhanced compressive moduli.
- Changes in tensile properties during development are linked to collagen II accumulation.
- This study elucidates the relationship between evolving tissue composition and mechanical function during meniscal development.
