An Axisymmetric Elastic Layered Half-Space Model for Micropipette Aspiration of the Chondrocyte Pericellular Matrix

Articular cartilage is an aneural, avascular connective tissue that serves as the resilient load-bearing surface at the articulating ends of diarthrodial joints. A sparse single population of cells known as chondrocytes maintains the extracellular matrix (ECM) of this tissue through a balance of anabolic and catabolic activities. The mechanical environment of chondrocytes, in conjunction with other genetic and environmental factors (e.g., growth factors, cytokines), plays an important role in regulating cartilage homeostasis and, as a consequence, the health of the joint.