Lubrication mechanisms at the surface of articular cartilage

Abstract

Purpose: Articular cartilage is a remarkably well lubricated surface, unmatched by any man-made material for its low coefficient of friction and life span. Understanding how such self-renewing biological lubrication works, and utilizing it to create artificial surfaces with low friction, is still a major challenge. Hydration lubrication is one of a number of lubrication mechanisms proposed to provide the low friction properties of cartilage. Phosphatidylcholine lipids, found abundantly on the surface of cartilage, have been proposed as highly efficient lubrication elements via this mechanism.