OS0612 Mechanical analysis of chondrocytes in response to impact loading
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Since articular chondrocytes are in vivo exposed to complex mechanical environment, it is important to study whether chondrocyte responses to such mechanical environment are closely related to articular cartilage diseases such as osteoarthritis. In this study, chondrocytes are exposed to an impact loading with drop tower impact testing and the associated cell deformation is examined based on actin filament structures. Cell aspect ratio, an index of cell deformation, was significantly decreased after impact loading, exhibiting a circular shape for the control group and an ellipsoidal shape for the impact groups. This finding suggests that chondrocytes can be deformed by impact loading, possibly leading to an alternation in cell physiological functions.
