A computer-controlled mechanical culture system for biological testing of articular cartilage explants

A computer-controlled mechanical culture system was designed to investigate the interaction between mechanical stimuli and the metabolism of articular cartilage. The main features of this system include the following capabilities: (1) Accurately controlled static, permanent cyclic or intermittent cyclic mechanical loads can be applied; (2) a great variety of different functions to load cartilage explants can be chosen; (3) a wide range of selectable forces (1.0-500 N) and frequencies (up to 5.0 Hz) can be used to load explants; (4) cartilage explants can be cultured and loaded within a standard CO2-incubator for extended time periods; (5) similar culture conditions are provided within the loading chambers as in standard tissue culture plates; (6) simultaneously the applied load and the resulting displacement of specimens is measured, and (7) the load chambers are biocompatible, sterilizable, and non-corrosive. We expect that the newly designed mechanical culture system will increase our understanding on the regulatory role of direct mechanical pressure on the metabolic activities of chondrocytes. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.