Metabolic Monitoring in Cartilage Models: How New Biosensor Work Could Support Future OA Research

A study published in Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical demonstrates a major step forward in osteoarthritis (OA) research.

Scientists from Imperial College London, TU Wien, and the Medical University of Vienna have developed a cartilage-on-a-chip system that can track metabolic changes in real time using integrated glucose and lactate biosensors.

The work relies on high-purity platinum wire supplied by Advent Research Materials, used to build the electrochemical microneedle electrodes that form the core of the sensing platform.

The research shows how engineered tissues and on-chip technologies are moving closer to real-time disease modelling, offering a more human-relevant alternative to animal experiments and is part of a growing movement in musculoskeletal research toward dynamic, human-relevant test systems that can capture disease processes as they happen rather than only at endpoints.

The science made simple

Cartilage cells (chondrocytes) change the way they use energy during osteoarthritis.
Healthy cells balance glucose use between energy production and normal tissue maintenance.
Inflamed or degenerative cartilage shifts towards high lactate production, reflecting stress, inflammation, and reduced oxygen availability.

The scientists built a tiny model of human cartilage on a small chip. They then made tiny sensors and placed them inside the model to measure how much sugar the cells were using and how much lactate they were making. These sensors were made using very thin platinum wire.

By tracking glucose consumption and lactate release, researchers can see when cartilage shifts into an OA-like state and monitor how long these changes last. This helps researchers learn more about how joint problems begin and how to create better treatments in the future.

A new way to track metabolic shifts inside engineered cartilage

The study offers a practical example of how metabolic activity can be monitored directly within a tissue construct rather than inferred from supernatant samples. Continuous measurement inside the hydrogel gives researchers a clearer view of how chondrocytes respond to inflammatory signals and how quickly those responses unfold.

Being able to follow glucose use and lactate release over time also strengthens the role of cartilage-on-a-chip systems in early-stage osteoarthritis research, where metabolic disturbances appear long before structural breakdown.

The role of Advent Research Materials

The sensors used in the study incorporate 50 µm platinum wire supplied by Advent Research Materials, chosen for its stability, consistency, and suitability for enzyme-based electrochemical sensing. This wire forms the core working electrode inside the microneedle sensors, enabling the long-term measurements demonstrated in the paper.

Laboratories developing biosensing platforms, microphysiological systems, or electrochemical testing rigs often use similar high-purity wires to ensure reproducible results.

Where this research is heading

This work shows that real-time metabolic monitoring can be integrated into tissue-engineered cartilage in a stable and repeatable way. Future use cases may include:

• tracking metabolic responses during drug testing
• identifying early biochemical changes linked to osteoarthritis
• adding richer functional read-outs to multi-tissue joint models
• improving the predictive value of benchtop OA research

Further reading

This research was carried out by teams at Imperial College London, the Medical University of Vienna, and TU Wien, with expertise spanning biosensing, cartilage biology, and microphysiological systems. Their full study is avaliable online and sets out the design of the cartilage-on-a-chip platform, the fabrication method for the glucose and lactate sensors, and the metabolic findings referenced above.

Citation:
Rothbauer, M., Strauss, J., Reihs, E. I., et al. “Integration of glucose and lactate biosensors into human cartilage-on-a-chip models for long-term monitoring of metabolic shifts in osteoarthritis.” Sensors & Actuators B: Chemical 427 (2025): 137123.