The aim of this study was to characterize the age-related changes of viscoelastic properties and deformation recovery of rabbit chondrocytes in natural development of articular cartilage. The micropipette aspiration combined with a standard linear viscoelastic solid model was used to quantify all parameters of chondrocytes from different age groups. Results indicate that the viscoelastic properties of chondrocytes in old group exhibited a significantly lower instantaneous modulus (E_0), equilibrium modulus (E_∞), and apparent viscosity (μ) compared with those of young group (p 0.1). The process of creep and deformation recovery of chondrocytes has changed significantly during natural development. The time t_E that old chondrocytes need to reach equilibrium is significantly less than young and adult ones (p 0.05). At the same time, maximal creep displacement L_M in old group dramatically higher than young and adult group (p 0.05). Comparisons of the deformation recovery ratio of different age groups before 8 seconds have shown that the ratio value of young group is significantly higher than those of adult and old ones (p 0.05). Additionally, there were no significant correlation between the viscoelastic parameters and the ratio of the cell to micropipette diameter. These results may be helpful for chondrocyte-based cartilage tissue engineering.%本文旨在表征年龄对软骨细胞在自然生长过程中的黏弹性和恢复变形能力的影响.结果表明:年龄对软骨细胞黏弹性及其恢复变形能力产生显著影响,老年组软骨细胞各项黏弹性参数值均明显高于幼年和中年组软骨细胞(p0.05);老年组软骨细胞蠕变达到平衡态所需时间t_E显著小于幼年和中年组(p0.05).老年组软骨细胞最大蠕变位移L_M显著大于幼年和中年组(p0.05).老年组软骨细胞恢复变形时间t_R显著大于幼年和中年组(p0.05).恢复变形前8s的分析发现,幼年组软骨细胞恢复变形率K_y显著高于中年和老年组(P0.05);此外,实验发现老年组软骨细胞的残余变形L_R比幼年和中年组显著增大(p0.05).研究工作对于软骨组织工程、软骨细胞与支架材料相互作用以及探讨OA发生过程中的力学生物学机制具有理论意义.
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