Elastic properties of Ox synovial fluid

Abstract

THE viscosity of synovial fluid varies with the shear stress, and there is evidence that the liquid contains elongated particles of a complex of hyaluronic acid and protein1. It therefore seemed reasonable to inquire whether synovial fluid, like certain solutions of linear polymers2,3,4, might also show shear elasticity. Some information on this aspect of its rheological behaviour has now been obtained with a co-axial cylinder elastoviscometer which will be described elsewhere by two of us (B. A. T. and D. J. S.) in collaboration with J. G. Oldroyd. © 1950 Nature Publishing Group.