Title :
Effect of crosslinking and glycosaminoglycan depletion on the extra-fibrillar matrix mechanics of annulus fibrosus
Author :
Cortes, Daniel H. ; Chiaro, Joseph ; Smith, Lachlan J. ; Elliott, Dawn M.
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Biomed. Eng., Univ. of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
Abstract :
Protein crosslinking and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) depletion are characteristic of disc degeneration. The objective of this study is to analyze the role of these biochemical changes on the mechanics of annulus fibrosus extra-fibrillar matrix (EFM). It was found that GAG depletion decreased ionic contribution, but not the nonionic contribution of the EFM. Additionally, crosslinking increased the stiffness of annulus fibrosus EFM.
Keywords :
biochemistry; biomechanics; elastic constants; molecular biophysics; molecular configurations; proteins; annulus fibrosus; biochemical changes; biomechanics; disc degeneration; extrafibrillar matrix mechanics; glycosaminoglycan depletion; ionic contribution; nonionic contribution; protein crosslinking; stiffness; Aggregates; Aging; Optical fiber testing; Protein engineering; Proteins; Stress;
Conference_Titel :
Bioengineering Conference (NEBEC), 2012 38th Annual Northeast
Conference_Location :
Philadelphia, PA
Print_ISBN :
978-1-4673-1141-0
DOI :
10.1109/NEBC.2012.6206972
