High Performance Mechanical Testing System

描述(由申请人提供)：最近对肌肉骨骼疾病、疾病和治疗的研究主要集中在小动物模型和人体组织标本上。这些研究需要在低力条件下运行的机械测试设备。这项建议要求一种低力、高性能的力学测试系统，以满足研究人员在小鼠和大鼠模型中研究骨骼以及测试人类骨骼组织的力学性能的需要。我们机构现有的系统是不合适的，因为它们最初是为测试大样本而设计的，比如整个人类骨骼。力范围、致动器位移、动态性能和轴向能力都不适合描述小骨骼标本所需的高精度和精确度。所要求的设备是通用的，可靠的，可调节的多轴加载，并能够解决非常小的力和扭矩以及极小的位移和扭转角度。需要夹具和附件来测试非常小的软生物组织和硬生物组织，并维持受控环境。这些设备将在许多通过骨骼基础研究联系在一起的用户之间共享。主要使用者正在研究不同的领域，包括疾病和治疗的模型，化学成分和机械功能的基础研究，以及基因突变模型和由此产生的骨表型。高性能的机械测试系统将并入现有的骨骼完整性核心中心。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Recent investigations of musculoskeletal disorders, diseases, and treatments have focused on small animal models and specimens of human tissue. These studies require mechanical testing equipment that operates under low force conditions. This proposal requests a low-force, high-performance mechanical testing system to meet the needs of investigators studying the skeleton in mouse and rat models and those examining mechanical properties of human skeletal tissues. Current systems available at our institution are unsuitable because they were originally designed to test large specimens such as whole human bones. The force range, actuator displacement, dynamic performance and axial capabilities are all inappropriate for the high precision and accuracy required for characterizing small skeletal specimens. The requested equipment is versatile, reliable, adjustable for multi-axial loading, and is able to resolve very low forces and torques and extremely small displacements and angles of twist. Fixtures and accessories are requested for testing both soft and hard biologic tissues of very small sizes and to maintain controlled environments. The equipment will be shared among many users connected by basic studies of the skeleton. Major users are studying diverse areas including models of disease and treatment, basic studies of chemical composition and mechanical function, and gene mutation models and the resultant bone phenotype. The high performance mechanical testing system will be incorporated into the existing Core Center for Skeletal Integrity.