Supramolecular synergy in the boundary lubrication of synovial joints

Jasmine Seror; Linyi Zhu; Ronit Goldberg; Anthony J. Day; Jacob Klein

doi:10.1038/ncomms7497

journal article Open Access Mar 10, 2015

Supramolecular synergy in the boundary lubrication of synovial joints

Jasmine Seror Linyi Zhu Ronit Goldberg Anthony J. Day Jacob Klein

Nature Communications Vol. 6 No. 1 · Springer Science and Business Media LLC

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Abstract

AbstractHyaluronan, lubricin and phospholipids, molecules ubiquitous in synovial joints, such as hips and knees, have separately been invoked as the lubricants responsible for the remarkable lubrication of articular cartilage; but alone, these molecules cannot explain the extremely low friction at the high pressures of such joints. We find that surface-anchored hyaluronan molecules complex synergistically with phosphatidylcholine lipids present in joints to form a boundary lubricating layer, which, with coefficient of friction μ≈0.001 at pressures to over 100 atm, has a frictional behaviour resembling that of articular cartilage in the major joints. Our findings point to a scenario where each of the molecules has a different role but must act together with the others: hyaluronan, anchored at the outer surface of articular cartilage by lubricin molecules, complexes with joint phosphatidylcholines to provide the extreme lubrication of synovial joints via the hydration–lubrication mechanism.

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Published: Mar 10, 2015
Vol/Issue: 6(1)
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Cite This Article

Jasmine Seror, Linyi Zhu, Ronit Goldberg, et al. (2015). Supramolecular synergy in the boundary lubrication of synovial joints. Nature Communications, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms7497

Supramolecular synergy in the boundary lubrication of synovial joints

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