Quantitative Technique for Measuring Local and Global Mechanical Properties in Engineered Cartilage
- Detailed Technology Description
- Cornell researchers have developed a method todetermine when cultured human cartilage is ready for implanting
- Others
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Publications
· Jill M. Middendorf, Sonya Shortkroff, Caroline Dugopolski,Stephen Kennedy, Joseph Siemiatkoski, Lena R. Bartell, Itai Cohen, Lawrence J.Bonassar “In vitro culture increases mechanical stability of human tissueengineered cartilage constructs by prevention of microscale scaffold buckling”Journal of Biomechanics64 (2017) 77–84
DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2017.09.007
- *Abstract
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Technology Overview
Engineered cartilage implants, for human use, often useporous 3D scaffolds that are seeded with cells and cultured using various mediaand growth factors. These parameters impact the final compressive properties ofthe resulting cartilage construct. Engineered constructs must resistcompression; inhomogeneity often results in local weaknesses that impact thebulk properties of the implant.
Our cartilage analysis technique uses scaffold bucklingmeasurements to relate the localized mechanical properties with bulk cartilageproperties in order to determine the implant readiness of the cultured tissue.
Our process involves capturing videos of the cartilageconstruct while placing the tissue under compression. The videos are analyzed using custom softwarealgorithms allowing differentiation of buckling from bending. A quantitative‘buckling threshold’ is determined by examining histograms of local and globalstrain and strain rates allowing determination of cartilage constructs where thescaffold predominantly exhibits bending as opposed to buckling.
In our proof-of-concept, using human chondrocyte-seededcollagen constructs, we analyzed a number of parameters and using our techniqueidentified that the probability of buckling was negatively correlated withaminoglycan (GAG) content. Showing alsothat not only the total GAG content, but equally important was the the locationof GAG, which impacted the localized mechanical properties.
Potential Applications
- Mechanical Testing of Engineered Articular Cartilage
Advantages
- Analyzes bulk and local mechanical strength
- Quantitative vs qualitative method to analyze tissue todetermine implant readiness
Keywords: Physical Sciences, Engineering, Physics, Applied Physics, Polymer, Measurement, Microscopy, Visual Enhancements, Computer Software, Analysis, Modelling, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Life Sciences, Cell culture devices, reagents & media, Tissue
- *Licensing
- Carolyn A. Theodorecat42@cornell.edu607 254 4514
- Country/Region
- USA
