Study on self-forming and self-healing mechanism of natural superlubricity in articular cartilage surface

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17H01244
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Design engineering/Machine functional elements/Tribology
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: Sawae Yoshinori 九州大学, 工学研究院, 教授 (10284530)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 山口 哲生 九州大学, 工学研究院, 准教授 (20466783) ; 森田 健敬 九州大学, 工学研究院, 助教 (70175636) ; 中嶋 和弘 帝京大学, 公私立大学の部局等, 准教授 (70315109)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: トライボロジー / 関節潤滑 / 超潤滑 / 細胞・組織 / 関節軟骨 / 関節液 / 生体分子

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aimed to explore details of the sophisticated lubrication mechanism in a natural synovial joint which always articulates smoothly with extremely low friction resistance. The highly hydrated and permeable polymer hydrogel was used as a physical model of articular cartilage and used in the friction test to evaluate the lubricating function of biological molecules contained in synovial fluid. As a result, a complex of hyaluronic acid and phosphides exhibited an excellent lubrication ability on the cartilage model. The pressurized water content of the cartilage model under the contact load played an important role to activate the lubricating effect of synovial constituents by preventing the adsorption of protein molecules on the model surface. The lubrication effect of synovial constituents was further enhanced by combining with extra-cellular matrix synthesized and supplied from cultured chondrocytes.

Free Research Field

バイオトライボロジー

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

この研究から得られる成果には3つの意義が存在すると考える．一つ目は，生体関節の潤滑メカニズムを解明する基礎科学的意義．二つ目は，関節潤滑の破綻による変形性関節症の発症メカニズムについて新しい知見を与える臨床医学的意義，三つ目は，柔軟で透水性を有する高含水ハイドロゲルを摩擦材とし，生体高分子類似の分子構造を有する水溶性潤滑剤を用いた，画期的な超潤滑しゅう動システム開発につながるシーズ技術研究としての工学的意義である．