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Decellularization and Recellularization of Whole Livers
Published on: February 4, 2011
Scale-dependent mechanical properties of native and decellularized liver tissue
Douglas W Evans1, Emma C Moran, Pedro M Baptista
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology
|August 15, 2012
Summary
Decellularized liver scaffolds exhibit significantly reduced biomechanical properties compared to native tissue. Understanding these changes is crucial for effective liver tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Regenerative Medicine
- Tissue Engineering
Background:
- Decellularization removes cells from tissues, leaving an extracellular matrix scaffold.
- The biomechanical properties of decellularized liver scaffolds are largely unknown.
- Liver cell behavior is influenced by the mechanical properties of their environment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the macro- and nano-scale biomechanical properties of native and decellularized liver tissue.
- To develop poroviscoelastic finite element models for property extraction.
- To inform the bioengineering of liver tissue scaffolds.
Main Methods:
- Tissue-level and cellular-level spherical indentation-relaxation tests were performed.
- Experiments were conducted on native and decellularized liver samples at various rates.
- Poroviscoelastic finite element models were used to analyze mechanical data.
Main Results:
- Native liver tissue Young's modulus: 10.5 kPa (tissue-level), 4.40 kPa (cellular-level).
- Decellularized liver tissue Young's modulus: 1.18 kPa (tissue-level), 0.91 kPa (cellular-level).
- Significant reduction in stiffness observed after decellularization.
Conclusions:
- Decellularization substantially alters the biomechanical properties of liver scaffolds.
- These findings are critical for designing functional liver tissue engineered constructs.
- Scaffold mechanics must be considered for optimal cell response in regenerative medicine.
