Abstract/Details

Mechanobiology of tissue differentiation during osteochondral defect repair.

Kelly, D. J.   Trinity College Dublin (University of Dublin) (Ireland) ProQuest Dissertations Publishing,  2003. U202647.

Abstract (summary)

Differentiation can be thought of as a process by which cells and tissues undergo a change in phenotype toward a more specialized form or function. It is the contention of this thesis that tissue differentiation is in some way regulated by the mechanical environment of the cells within the tissue. A theoretical model was developed which relates the dispersal, proliferation, and death of cells, and their subsequent differentiation, to their mechanical environment. In an attempt to confirm this mechano-regulation hypothesis, an algorithm based on the theoretical model was developed and used to stimulate tissue differentiation during spontaneous osteochondral defect repair, where the mechanical environment within the defect was determined using finite element modelling. The influence of a number of physical factors, such as defect size and loading, were studied by altering these parameters in the finite element model. Furthermore, the influence of implanting a scaffold or engineered cartilage tissue on osteochondral defect repair was examined, where the mechanical properties of tissue engineered cartilage was determined experimentally. The mechano-regulation model successfully predicted the main patterns of tissue differentiation observed during osteochondral defect repair. An increased amount of fibrous tissue formation, and reduced bone formation, was predicted as the size of the defect was increased. Only by implanting a scaffold or engineered tissue with mechanical properties approaching that or normal articular cartilage was the quality of repair predicted to significantly improve over spontaneous repair. The ability of this model to stimulate different aspects of tissue differentiation provides evidence to confirm our original hypothesis or mechano-regulated tissue differentiation. It is proposed as a tool to be used in the design of orthopaedic implants and to evaluate future tissue engineering strategies.

Indexing (details)


Subject
Cellular biology;
Cartilage;
Mechanical properties;
Hypotheses;
Knee
Classification
0379: Cellular biology
Identifier / keyword
(UMI)AAIU202647; Biological sciences
Title
Mechanobiology of tissue differentiation during osteochondral defect repair.
Author
Kelly, D. J.
Number of pages
1
Degree date
2003
School code
0770
Source
DAI-C 70/41, Dissertation Abstracts International
Place of publication
Ann Arbor
Country of publication
United States
University/institution
Trinity College Dublin (University of Dublin) (Ireland)
University location
Ireland
Degree
Ph.D.
Source type
Dissertation or Thesis
Language
English
Document type
Dissertation/Thesis
Dissertation/thesis number
U202647
ProQuest document ID
301655990
Copyright
Database copyright ProQuest LLC; ProQuest does not claim copyright in the individual underlying works.
Document URL
https://www.proquest.com/docview/301655990