Hyaline articular cartilage constitutes the principal working component of the synovial joints, and in adults it contains neither blood vessels nor nerves1. Cartilage provides diarthrodial joints with a remarkably resilient and long-lasting gliding surface, with a coefficient of friction approximately one fifth that of ice on ice. It is capable of self-renewal and self-lubrication and works well under a load. In short, it is an almost perfect machine, with mechanical properties that are far better than those of the polished metal on high-density polyethylene that is used in total joint-replacement systems.The cells of cartilage, chondrocytes, are active biochemically, . . .
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Hyaline articular cartilage constitutes the principal working component of the synovial joints, and in adults it contains neither blood vessels nor nerves1. Cartilage provides diarthrodial joints with a remarkably resilient and long-lasting gliding surface, with a coefficient of friction approximately one fifth that of ice on ice. It is capable of self-renewal and self-lubrication and works well under a load. In short, it is an almost perfect machine, with mechanical properties that are far better than those of the polished metal on high-density polyethylene that is used in total joint-replacement systems.The cells of cartilage, chondrocytes, are active biochemically, . . .
Copyright remains with the authors and publisher.