Assessment of biomechanical properties of the extracellular and pericellular matrix and their interconnection throughout the course of osteoarthritis.

During osteoarthritis (OA)-triggered cartilage degeneration, the chondrocytes spatially rearrange from single to double strings, and then to small and finally big clusters. Both the extracellular matrix (ECM) and the pericellular matrix (PCM) progressively degrade in osteoarthritis, changing the overall mechanical properties of the cartilage. We investigated the mechanical properties particularly elasticity of the ECM and PCM and their interconnection as a function of chondrocyte spatial organisation.