The structure and physicochemical properties of human hyaline cartilage in the disorganization of the carbohydrate-protein complexes of the ground substance
Dubinskaia, V.A.; Nikolaeva, S.S.; Khoroshkov, I.A.; Koroleva, O.A.
Biulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny 111(3): 267-269
1991
ISSN/ISBN: 0365-9615 PMID: 1711388 Document Number: 382509
In the experiments in vitro we studied the influence of the process of disorganization of the carbohydrate-protein complexes of the ground substance on the structure, water content and biomechanical properties of the human hyaline cartilage. It was shown that the disorganization process of the cartilage ground substance and the subsequent removal of the formed products resulted in the increasing porosity of the cartilaginous tissue. This is expressed in the exposure of the fibrillar frame of the cartilage and formation of cavities of various volumes between its elements. The mentioned changes of the cartilage structure are followed by the reduction of the amount of monomolecular-bound water and simultaneous increase in swelling in water and water vapor sorption at maximal relative humidity. The removal of about 25% of glycosaminoglycanes of the ground substance resulted in the reduction of the rigidity of the cartilagenous tissue, and the increase in the residual deformation. The examination of the hyaline cartilage did not reveal any interrelation between the contents of proteoglycanes and the water content of the cartilagenous tissue.