A Model of Synovial Fluid Lubricant Composition in Normal and Injured Joints

The synovial fluid (SF) of joints normally functions as a biological lubricant, providing low-friction and low-wear properties to articulating cartilage surfaces through the putative contributions of proteoglycan 4 (PRG4), hyaluronic acid (HA), and surface active phospholipids (SAPL). These lubricants are secreted by chondrocytes in articular cartilage and synoviocytes in synovium, and concentrated in the synovial space by the semi-permeable synovial lining. A deficiency in this lubricating system may contribute to the erosion of articulating cartilage surfaces in conditions of arthritis. A quantitative intercompartmental model was developed to predict in vivo SF lubricant concentration in the human knee joint. The model consists of a SF compartment that (a) is lined by cells of appropriate types, (b) is bound by a semi-permeable membrane, and (c) contains factors that regulate lubricant secretion. Lubricant concentration was predicted with different chemical regulators of chondrocyte and synoviocyte secretion, and also with therapeutic interventions of joint lavage and HA injection. The model predicted steady-state lubricant concentrations that were within physiologically observed ranges, and which were markedly altered with chemical regulation. The model also predicted that when starting from a zero lubricant concentration after joint lavage, PRG4 reaches steady-state concentration approximately 10-40 times faster than HA. Additionally, analysis of the clearance rate of HA after therapeutic injection into SF predicted that the majority of HA leaves the joint after approximately 1-2 days. This quantitative intercompartmental model allows integration of biophysical processes to identify both environmental factors and clinical therapies that affect SF lubricant composition in whole joints.