scholarly journals Angle-ply biomaterial scaffold for annulus fibrosus repair replicates native tissue mechanical properties, restores spinal kinematics, and supports cell viability

2017 ◽  
Vol 58 ◽  
pp. 254-268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan Borem ◽  
Allison Madeline ◽  
Joshua Walters ◽  
Henry Mayo ◽  
Sanjitpal Gill ◽  
...  
2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramachandra V. Devireddy ◽  
Michael R. Neidert ◽  
John C. Bischof ◽  
Robert T. Tranquillo

Abstract The effect of freezing on the viability and mechanical strength of bioartificial tissues was determined under a variety of cooling conditions, with the ultimate aim of optimizing the cryopreservation process. Bioartificial tissues (i.e. tissue-equivalents or TEs) were prepared by incubating entrapped human foreskin fibroblasts in collagen gels for a period of 2 weeks. The bioartificial tissues were frozen using a controlled rate freezer at various cooling rates (0.5, 2, 5, 20, 40 and > 1000°C/min or slam freezing). The viability (< 60 min after thawing) of the fibroblasts in the bioartificial tissue was assessed using the Ethidium Homodimer (dead cells stain red) and Hoechst Give cells stain blue) assay. Uniaxial tension experiments were performed on an MTS Microbionix System (Eden Prairie, MN) to assess the post-thaw mechanical properties (Maximum Stiffness; Ultimate Tensile Stress; and Strain to Failure) of the frozen-thawed bioartificial tissue (≤ 3 hours after thawing). The results suggest that cooling rates of either 2 or 5°C/min are optimal for preserving both the cell viability and mechanical properties of the bioartificial tissues, post-freeze. Bioartificial tissues were also frozen using a directional solidification stage at 5°C/min. The post-thaw viability results are comparable in both the directionally cooled and the controlled rate freezer samples. However, the mechanical properties of the directionally cooled samples are significantly different (with a higher maximum stiffness and a lower strain to failure) than those obtained for samples frozen using a controlled rate freezer. This suggests that the directionality of ice propagation into the sample affects the measured mechanical properties.


Author(s):  
Daniel H. Cortes ◽  
Lachlan J. Smith ◽  
Sung M. Moon ◽  
Jeremy F. Magland ◽  
Alexander C. Wright ◽  
...  

Intervertebral disc degeneration is characterized by a progressive cascade of structural, biochemical and biomechanical changes affecting the annulus fibrosus (AF), nucleus pulposus (NP) and end plates (EP). These changes are considered to contribute to the onset of back pain. It has been shown that mechanical properties of the AF and NP change significantly with degeneration [1,2]. Therefore, mechanical properties have the potential to serve as a biomarker for diagnosis of disc degeneration. Currently, disc degeneration is diagnosed based on the detection of structural and compositional changes using MRI, X-ray, discography and other imaging techniques. These methods, however, do not measure directly the mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix of the disc. Magnetic Resonance Elastography (MRE) is a technique that has been used to measure in vivo mechanical properties of soft tissue by applying a mechanical vibration and measuring displacements with a motion-sensitized MRI pulse sequence [3]. The mechanical properties (e.g., the shear modulus) are calculated from the displacement field using an inverse method. Since the applied displacements are in the order of few microns, fibers may not be stretched enough to remove crimping. Therefore, it is unknown if the anisotropy of the AF due to the contribution of the fibers is detectable using MRE. The objective of this study is twofold: to measure shear properties of AF in different orientations to determine the degree of AF anisotropy observable by MRE, and to identify the contribution of different AF constituents to the measured shear modulus by applying different biochemical treatments.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (20) ◽  
pp. 5061 ◽  
Author(s):  
Srikumar Krishnamoorthy ◽  
Behnam Noorani ◽  
Changxue Xu

Gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) has been gaining popularity in recent years as a photo-crosslinkable biomaterial widely used in a variety of bioprinting and tissue engineering applications. Several studies have established the effects of process-based and material-based parameters on the physical–mechanical properties and microstructure of GelMA hydrogels. However, the effect of encapsulated cells on the physical–mechanical properties and microstructure of GelMA hydrogels has not been fully understood. In this study, 3T3 fibroblasts were encapsulated at different cell densities within the GelMA hydrogels and incubated over 96 h. The effects of encapsulated cells were investigated in terms of mechanical properties (tensile modulus and strength), physical properties (swelling and degradation), and microstructure (pore size). Cell viability was also evaluated to confirm that most cells were alive during the incubation. It was found that with an increase in cell density, the mechanical properties decreased, while the degradation and the pore size increased.


Polymers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jin-Oh Jeong ◽  
Jong-Seok Park ◽  
Young-Ah Kim ◽  
Su-Jin Yang ◽  
Sung-In Jeong ◽  
...  

Conducting polymer (CP)-based hydrogels exhibit the behaviors of bending or contraction/relaxation due to electrical stimulation. They are similar in some ways to biological organs and have advantages regarding manipulation and miniaturization. Thus, these hydrogels have attracted considerable interest for biomedical applications. In this study, we prepared PPy/PVP hydrogel with different concentrations and content through polymerization and cross-linking induced by gamma-ray irradiation at 25 kGy to optimize the mechanical properties of the resulting PPy/PVP hydrogel. Optimization of the PPy/PVP hydrogel was confirmed by characterization using scanning electron microscopy, gel fraction, swelling ratio, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. In addition, we assessed live-cell viability using live/dead assay and CCK-8 assay, and found good cell viability regardless of the concentration and content of Py/pTS. The conductivity of PPy/PVP hydrogel was at least 13 mS/cm. The mechanical properties of PPy/PVP hydrogel are important factors in their application for biomaterials. It was found that 0.15PPy/PVP20 (51.96 ± 6.12 kPa) exhibited better compressive strength than the other samples for use in CP-based hydrogels. Therefore, it was concluded that gamma rays can be used to optimize PPy/PVP hydrogel and that biomedical applications of CP-based hydrogels will be possible.


Author(s):  
Woojin M. Han ◽  
Nandan L. Nerurkar ◽  
Lachlan J. Smith ◽  
Nathan T. Jacobs ◽  
Robert L. Mauck ◽  
...  

The annulus fibrosus (AF) is a multi-lamellar fibrocartilagenous ring in the intervertebral disc. The variation of biochemical composition from the outer to the inner AF is largely responsible for the heterogeneous mechanical properties. In vitro tissue-level studies require mechanical testing in aqueous buffers to avoid tissue dehydration. The varying glycosaminoglycan (GAG) contents from outer to inner AF suggest that the response to high and low PBS osmolarity may also be different with radial position. Previous studies in tendon and ligament have been conflicting: soaking tendon fascicles in PBS decreased tensile modulus1 and treating ligament in buffer had no effect on modulus.2


2009 ◽  
Vol 131 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brendon M. Baker ◽  
Nandan L. Nerurkar ◽  
Jason A. Burdick ◽  
Dawn M. Elliott ◽  
Robert L. Mauck

Aligned nanofibrous scaffolds hold tremendous potential for the engineering of dense connective tissues. These biomimetic micropatterns direct organized cell-mediated matrix deposition and can be tuned to possess nonlinear and anisotropic mechanical properties. For these scaffolds to function in vivo, however, they must either recapitulate the full dynamic mechanical range of the native tissue upon implantation or must foster cell infiltration and matrix deposition so as to enable construct maturation to meet these criteria. In our recent studies, we noted that cell infiltration into dense aligned structures is limited but could be expedited via the inclusion of a distinct rapidly eroding sacrificial component. In the present study, we sought to further the fabrication of dynamic nanofibrous constructs by combining multiple-fiber populations, each with distinct mechanical characteristics, into a single composite nanofibrous scaffold. Toward this goal, we developed a novel method for the generation of aligned electrospun composites containing rapidly eroding (PEO), moderately degradable (PLGA and PCL/PLGA), and slowly degrading (PCL) fiber populations. We evaluated the mechanical properties of these composites upon formation and with degradation in a physiologic environment. Furthermore, we employed a hyperelastic constrained-mixture model to capture the nonlinear and time-dependent properties of these scaffolds when formed as single-fiber populations or in multipolymer composites. After validating this model, we demonstrated that by carefully selecting fiber populations with differing mechanical properties and altering the relative fraction of each, a wide range of mechanical properties (and degradation characteristics) can be achieved. This advance allows for the rational design of nanofibrous scaffolds to match native tissue properties and will significantly enhance our ability to fabricate replacements for load-bearing tissues of the musculoskeletal system.


2011 ◽  
Vol 133 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maximilien Recuerda ◽  
Simon-Pierre Coté ◽  
Isabelle Villemure ◽  
Delphine Périé

The lack of standardization in experimental protocols for unconfined compression tests of intervertebral discs (IVD) tissues is a major issue in the quantification of their mechanical properties. Our hypothesis is that the experimental protocols influence the mechanical properties of both annulus fibrosus and nucleus pulposus. IVD extracted from bovine tails were tested in unconfined compression stress-relaxation experiments according to six different protocols, where for each protocol, the initial swelling of the samples and the applied preload were different. The Young’s modulus was calculated from a viscoelastic model, and the permeability from a linear biphasic poroviscoelastic model. Important differences were observed in the prediction of the mechanical properties of the IVD according to the initial experimental conditions, in agreement with our hypothesis. The protocol including an initial swelling, a 5% strain preload, and a 5% strain ramp is the most relevant protocol to test the annulus fibrosus in unconfined compression, and provides a permeability of 5.0 ± 4.2e−14m4/N·s and a Young’s modulus of 7.6 ± 4.7 kPa. The protocol with semi confined swelling and a 5% strain ramp is the most relevant protocol for the nucleus pulposus and provides a permeability of 10.7 ± 3.1 e−14m4/N·s and a Young’s modulus of 6.0 ± 2.5 kPa.


RSC Advances ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (110) ◽  
pp. 109150-109156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sakthivel Nagarajan ◽  
Céline Pochat-Bohatier ◽  
Catherine Teyssier ◽  
Sébastien Balme ◽  
Philippe Miele ◽  
...  

2D graphene oxide (GO) is used to enhance the mechanical properties of gelatin electrospun fibers. The GO does not show any significant influence on cell viability and cell attachment even though the expression of osteoblast gene is affected.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document