Cartilage is a hydrated biomacromolecular fiber composite located at the ends of long bones that enables proper joint lubrication, articulation, loading, and energy dissipation. Degradation of extracellular matrix molecular components and changes in their nanoscale structure greatly influence the macroscale behavior of the tissue and result in dysfunction with age, injury, and diseases such as osteoarthritis. Here, the application of the field of nanomechanics to cartilage is reviewed. Nanomechanics involves the measurement and prediction of nanoscale forces and displacements, intra- and intermolecular interactions, spatially varying mechanical properties, and other mechanical phenomena existing at small length scales. Experimental nanomechanics and theoretical nanomechanics have been applied to cartilage at varying levels of material complexity, e.g., nanoscale properties of intact tissue, the matrix associated with single cells, biomimetic molecular assemblies, and individual extracellular matrix biomolecules (such as aggrecan, collagen, and hyaluronan). These studies have contributed to establishing a fundamental mechanism-based understanding of native and engineered cartilage tissue function, quality, and pathology.

中文翻译：

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软骨细胞外基质的纳米力学


软骨是一种位于长骨末端的水合生物大分子纤维复合材料，可实现适当的关节润滑、关节活动、负载和能量耗散。细胞外基质分子成分的降解及其纳米级结构的变化极大地影响了组织的宏观行为，并导致随着年龄、损伤和骨关节炎等疾病而出现功能障碍。在此，对纳米力学领域在软骨方面的应用进行综述。纳米力学涉及纳米级力和位移、分子内和分子间相互作用、空间变化的机械特性以及小长度尺度上存在的其他机械现象的测量和预测。实验纳米力学和理论纳米力学已应用于不同材料复杂程度的软骨，例如完整组织的纳米级特性、与单细胞相关的基质、仿生分子组装体和单个细胞外基质生物分子（例如聚集蛋白聚糖、胶原蛋白和透明质酸） ）。这些研究有助于建立对天然和工程软骨组织功能、质量和病理学的基于基本机制的理解。