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Multiscale computational model of fluid flow and matrix deformation in decellularized liver
Kenichiro Nishii1, Greg Reese2, Emma C Moran3
1Department of Chemical, Paper and Biomedical Engineering, Miami University, Oxford, OH, United States.
Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials
|January 2, 2016
Summary
Decellularization significantly reduces liver vascular resistance and increases tissue permeability. This study quantifies the biomechanical changes in decellularized liver tissue under varying perfusion conditions, crucial for bioengineering applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Tissue Engineering
- Biomechanics
Background:
- Understanding the biomechanical microenvironment of decellularized tissues is crucial for regenerative medicine.
- Current knowledge regarding mechanical properties in decellularized liver scaffolds is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify the mechanical microenvironment in decellularized liver tissue.
- To investigate the effects of varying organ-scale perfusion conditions on decellularized liver biomechanics.
- To compare the biomechanical properties of native and decellularized liver.
Main Methods:
- Combined experimental and computational approach using needle-guided ultra-miniature pressure sensors.
- Ex-situ measurement of parenchymal fluid pressure in native and decellularized ferret liver at varying flow rates (3-12mL/min).
- Development of a multiscale computational model (organ-scale hemodynamics and tissue-scale lobule model) for native and decellularized liver.
Main Results:
- Decellularization reduced vascular resistance by 82%.
- Hydraulic conductivity (tissue permeability) of decellularized liver was 5.6 times higher than native liver.
- In decellularized lobules: fluid pressures (0.6-2.4mmHg), fluid velocities (211-767μm/s), and solid matrix strains (1.7-6.1%) were quantified.
Conclusions:
- Decellularization profoundly alters the biomechanical properties of liver tissue.
- The developed modeling platform can guide optimization of perfusion seeding and conditioning for liver bioengineering scaffolds.
