Towards Tuning the Mechanical Properties of Three-Dimensional Collagen Scaffolds Using a Coupled Fiber-Matrix Model

Materials

Shengmao Lin²  Lauren A. Hapach¹  Cynthia Reinhart-King¹  Linxia Gu² 

[1]Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA

[2] E-Mails:

[3]Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588-0656, USA

[4] E-Mail:

关键词: collagen scaffold;    fiber-matrix interaction;    glycation;    collagen concentration;    computational biomechanics;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ma8085254

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Scaffold mechanical properties are essential in regulating the microenvironment of three-dimensional cell culture. A coupled fiber-matrix numerical model was developed in this work for predicting the mechanical response of collagen scaffolds subjected to various levels of non-enzymatic glycation and collagen concentrations. The scaffold was simulated by a Voronoi network embedded in a matrix. The computational model was validated using published experimental data. Results indicate that both non-enzymatic glycation-induced matrix stiffening and fiber network density, as regulated by collagen concentration, influence scaffold behavior. The heterogeneous stress patterns of the scaffold were induced by the interfacial mechanics between the collagen fiber network and the matrix. The knowledge obtained in this work could help to fine-tune the mechanical properties of collagen scaffolds for improved tissue regeneration applications.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2015 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.