Topographic features of nano-pores within the osteochondral interface and their effects on transport properties –a 3D imaging and modeling study

Recent insights suggest that the osteochondral interface plays a central role in maintaining healthy articulating joints. Uncovering underlying transport mechanisms is key to understanding of cross-talk between articular cartilage and subchondral bone. Here, we describe facilitate at interface. Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), found continuous transition mineralization architecture from non-calcified towards calcified cartilage. This refurbishes classical picture so-called tidemark; well-defined discontinuity focused-ion-beam SEM (FIB-SEM) on one plug derived human cadaveric knee, elucidated pore structure gradually varies bone plate. We identified nano-pores with radius 10.71 ± 6.45 nm 39.1 26.17 The extracted sizes were used construct 3D pore-scale numerical models explore effect connectivity among different pores. Results indicated highly compromised compared Flow simulations showed permeability decrease by about 2000-fold solute using tracer (iodixanol, 1.5 kDa free diffusivity 2.5 × 10−10 m2/s) factor 1.5. Taken together, complex pattern considerably impacts