The effect of concentration, thermal history and cell seeding density on the initial mechanical properties of agarose hydrogels
The effect of concentration, thermal history and cell seeding density on the initial mechanical properties of agarose hydrogels
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DOI：
10.1016/j.jmbbm.2008.12.007
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发表时间：
2009-10-01
影响因子：
3.9
通讯作者：
Kelly, Daniel J.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Buckley, Conor T.;Thorpe, Stephen D.;Kelly, Daniel J.
琼脂糖水凝胶通常用于软骨组织工程研究，并提供三维环境来研究细胞机械生物学。解释这些研究的结果需要准确定量水凝胶的机械性能。琼脂糖水凝胶的机械性能的报道有显着的变化，很少有报道与这些水凝胶与细胞悬浮液混合的因素对它们的初始机械性能的影响。本研究的目的是确定琼脂糖浓度，凝胶化过程中的冷却速率，凝胶化后的热历史和细胞接种密度对琼脂糖水凝胶的初始机械性能的影响。2%琼脂糖凝胶拉伸时的平均斜坡模量为24.9 kPa（+/- 1.7，n = 10），而压缩时为55.6 kPa（+/- 0.5，n = 10）。平均拉伸平衡模量为39.7 kPa（+/- 5.7，n = 6），显著高于压缩平衡模量14.2 kPa（+/- 1.6，n = 10）。与保持在室温下的样品相比，如果在凝胶化后保持在37 ℃下，观察到琼脂糖水凝胶的平衡和动态压缩模量降低。根据琼脂糖水凝胶中包封软骨细胞所用的方法，发现无细胞2%琼脂糖凝胶的平衡压缩模量显著高于以约40 x 10（6）个细胞/mL接种的2%琼脂糖凝胶。这些结果对解释琼脂糖水凝胶中软骨细胞机械生物学研究的结果具有重要意义。(C)2008爱思唯尔有限公司保留所有权利。
Agarose hydrogels are commonly used for cartilage tissue engineering studies and to provide a three dimensional environment to investigate cellular mechanobiology. Interpreting the results of such studies requires accurate quantification of the mechanical properties of the hydrogel. There is significant variation in the reported mechanical properties of agarose hydrogels, and little is reported on the influence of factors associated with mixing these hydrogels with cell suspensions on their initial mechanical properties. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of agarose concentration, the cooling rate during gelation, the thermal history following gelation and the cell seeding density on the initial mechanical properties of agarose hydrogels. The average ramp modulus of 2% agarose gel in tension was 24.9 kPa (+/- 1.7, n = 10), compared with 55.6 kPa (+/- 0.5, n = 10) in compression. The average tensile equilibrium modulus was 39.7 kPa (+/- 5.7, n = 6), significantly higher than the compressive equilibrium modulus of 14.2 kPa (+/- 1.6, n = 10). The equilibrium and dynamic compressive modulus of agarose hydrogels were observed to reduce if maintained at 37 degrees C following gelation compared with samples maintained at room temperature. Depending on the methodology used to encapsulate chondrocytes within agarose hydrogels, the equilibrium compressive modulus was found to be significantly higher for acellular 2% agarose gels compared with 2% agarose gels seeded at approximately 40 x 10(6) cells/mL. These results have important implications for interpreting the results of chondrocyte mechanobiology studies in agarose hydrogels. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.