Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 4, 2026
08:04
Design of a Biaxial Mechanical Loading Bioreactor for Tissue Engineering
Published on: April 25, 2013
Design, construction and validation of a computer controlled system for functional loading of soft tissue
Vera Colombo1, Maria Rita Correro, Robert Riener
1Laboratory of Physiology and Biomechanics of the Masticatory System, Center for Oral Medicine, Dental and Maxillo-Facial Surgery, University of Zurich, Switzerland. vera.colombo@zzm.uzh.ch
Medical Engineering & Physics
|February 4, 2011
Summary
A new multi-axial device, the RPETS, enables advanced mechanical testing of viable soft tissues. This technology helps understand how forces impact cartilage health and cell death in joint diseases like osteoarthritis.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Orthopedics
- Tissue Mechanics
Background:
- Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease where abnormal mechanical loading on cartilage can initiate damage.
- Chondrocyte activity is influenced by mechanical forces, making their study crucial for understanding OA.
- Existing mechanical testing devices for viable tissues are predominantly uniaxial, limiting complex loading simulations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a novel multi-axial device for static and dynamic mechanical testing of viable soft tissues.
- To assess the device's capability in applying combined compression, sliding, and rolling motions.
- To investigate the relationship between mechanical loading parameters and chondrocyte viability.
Main Methods:
- Development of the Robotic multi-axial Physiological Equipment for Tissue Simulation (RPETS) system.
- The RPETS features a motor-driven indenter capable of vertical and horizontal movement within a fluid tank.
- Validation using standard rubber materials and bovine nasal cartilage, employing static and dynamic loading protocols.
Main Results:
- The RPETS demonstrated high accuracy in static tests, comparable to uniaxial devices, with force control error <0.5N and resolution of 5 μm.
- Dynamic tests showed the system can apply loads up to 100N at 100mm/s with <10% force control error.
- Cartilage loading experiments indicated that chondrocyte death is dependent on indenter velocity during dynamic testing.
Conclusions:
- The validated RPETS system offers a versatile platform for multi-axial mechanical testing of viable soft tissues.
- This device advances the study of how complex mechanical forces contribute to cartilage damage and chondrocyte response.
- The findings highlight the importance of mechanical loading parameters in OA pathogenesis and cellular viability.
