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Design of a Biaxial Mechanical Loading Bioreactor for Tissue Engineering
Published on: April 25, 2013
Modeling interlamellar interactions in angle-ply biologic laminates for annulus fibrosus tissue engineering
Nandan L Nerurkar1, Robert L Mauck, Dawn M Elliott
1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, 424 Stemmler Hall, 36th Street and Hamilton Walk, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6081, USA.
Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology
|February 3, 2011
Summary
Engineered tissues reveal how collagen fiber alignment in the annulus fibrosus (AF) resists deformation through interlamellar shearing. This study developed a model to quantify these mechanical contributions in AF tissue function.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Engineering
- Tissue Engineering
- Biomechanics
Background:
- The mechanical properties of the annulus fibrosus (AF) are determined by its extracellular matrix (ECM) composition and microstructure.
- Engineered angle-ply laminates from mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-seeded scaffolds mimic AF structure, highlighting the role of collagen fiber organization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a hyperelastic constitutive model for interlamellar shearing in biologic laminates.
- To apply this model to engineered AF constructs and quantify the contributions of ECM, fibers, and interlamellar shearing to mechanical function.
Main Methods:
- Developed a hyperelastic constitutive model to describe interlamellar shearing.
- Applied the model to experimental data from engineered AF bilayers with varying fiber orientations.
- Analyzed uniaxial tensile stress-strain data over 10 weeks of in vitro culture.
Main Results:
- Interlamellar shearing contributed nearly 50% of the total stress in uniaxial extension at 10 weeks.
- The model successfully characterized the influence of ECM deposition on AF mechanical function.
- Material parameters quantified the distinct roles of fibers, ECM, and interlamellar shearing.
Conclusions:
- Engineered tissues serve as valuable models for understanding native tissue structure-function relationships.
- The developed constitutive model accurately captures the mechanical behavior of engineered AF constructs.
- Interlamellar shearing is a critical mechanism for tensile reinforcement in the annulus fibrosus.
