Application Note | ELASTOSENS™ BIO
How to characterize biological and synthetic membranes using the ElastoSens™ Bio?
by Dimitria Camasão,
Application Scientists, Rheolution Inc.
- The mechanical characterization of biological soft membranes such as skin, pericardium, or hydrogel-based samples is challenging and often results in sample damage.
- The Membrane Sample Holder of the ElastoSens™ Bio has been designed for facilitating the loading and the handling of membrane samples allowing proper mechanical testing.
- In this study, the elasticity of bovine pericardium membranes were precisely measured using the ElastoSens™ Bio.
INTRODUCTION
Membrane-type samples are widely present in the life sciences field and are often difficult to characterize mechanically. Examples include native and engineered tissues such as pericardium, skin, placenta, epithelial and connective membranes as well as dressings and patches for wound care, suture or transdermal drug delivery. Due to their soft nature, their manipulation and introduction into analytical instruments often result in sample damage.
In this light, the Membrane Sample Holder of the ElastoSens™ Bio was designed to test the mechanical properties of synthetic and biological soft membranes. The Membrane Sample Holder is completed with a preparation kit that facilitates the loading and the handling of the membrane to avoid its damage and ensure a proper introduction into the testing instrument. In addition, all components are autoclavable and the same sample can be tested over time and as needed due to the non-destructive nature of the ElastoSens™ Bio. Samples contained into the Membrane Sample Holder can be stored in 12-well plates between tests.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Human and animal pericardium are explored in the biomedical field as grafts for the repair of damaged tissues or as matrices for tissue engineering purposes. Bovine pericardium membranes without (type I) and with (type II) a crosslinking treatment were cut into circles (diameter of approximately 2 cm) and introduced in PBS for 1 hour before measurements at room temperature. Sample thickness was measured using laser profilometry with the sample over a flat surface (Figure 1). The type I membrane had a measured thickness of 0.46 ± 0.02 mm, while the type II membrane displayed a slightly thicker dimension of 0.61 ± 0.04. Samples were then clamped into the stainless steel membrane holding grip of the membrane sample holder (Figure 2). The tests were immediately performed at room temperature in the ElastoSens™ Bio.
Figure 1: Measurement of sample thickness using a laser.
Figure 2: Pericardium membranes mounted in the membrane holding grip of the membrane sample holder.
Shear storage modulus (G’) was obtained for each membrane type (n=3). Average results are expressed as mean ± standard deviation. Comparisons among groups were evaluated by Welch’s t-test. Significance was retained when p < 0.05.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Figure 3 displays the average G’ (kPa) for each sample type (n=3). Pericardium membranes that received crosslinking treatment showed a G’ three times higher than the membranes without the treatment. It is important to note that a statistical difference was obtained (p=0.008) even with the inherent intra variability of animal tissues and the small number of samples (n=3), reinforcing the high repeatability and sensitivity of the results.
Figure 3: Average G’ (kPa) of bovine pericardium membranes without (type I) and with (type II) a crosslinking treatment (n=3). ** p=0.008
CONCLUSIONS
Biological membrane tissues were successfully loaded and tested ex vivo into the membrane sample holder of the ElastoSens™ Bio. This study illustrates the high repeatability and sensitivity of the instrument when using the membrane sample holder to measure this type of samples.
Impact & Use
- Biological and synthetic membrane samples can be easily and precisely measured with the membrane sample holder of the ElastoSens™ Bio.
- After testing, membrane samples can be stored in 12-well plates and measured over time to study their mechanical stability under controlled conditions.
- The effect of different formulations, manufacturing techniques and treatments on membrane samples can be easily studied using the viscoelastic properties obtained with the ElastoSens™ Bio.
- The mechanical properties of biological tissues and organs can effectively be tested ex vivo using the membrane sample holder of the ElastoSens™ Bio.
- The heterogeneity of membrane tissues in terms of mechanical properties can be mapped using the ElastoSens™ Bio.
- The viscoelastic properties obtained with the ElastoSens™ Bio is an important parameter to determine the variability of biological tissues (within the same organ, between different organs, and among species).
ElastoSens™ Bio
INTRODUCTION
Membrane-type samples are widely present in the life sciences field and are often difficult to characterize mechanically. Examples include native and engineered tissues such as pericardium, skin, placenta, epithelial and connective membranes as well as dressings and patches for wound care, suture or transdermal drug delivery. Due to their soft nature, their manipulation and introduction into analytical instruments often result in sample damage.
In this light, the Membrane Sample Holder of the ElastoSens™ Bio was designed to test the mechanical properties of synthetic and biological soft membranes. The Membrane Sample Holder is completed with a preparation kit that facilitates the loading and the handling of the membrane to avoid its damage and ensure a proper introduction into the testing instrument. In addition, all components are autoclavable and the same sample can be tested over time and as needed due to the non-destructive nature of the ElastoSens™ Bio. Samples contained into the Membrane Sample Holder can be stored in 12-well plates between tests.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Human and animal pericardium are explored in the biomedical field as grafts for the repair of damaged tissues or as matrices for tissue engineering purposes. Bovine pericardium membranes without (type I) and with (type II) a crosslinking treatment were cut into circles (diameter of approximately 2 cm) and introduced in PBS for 1 hour before measurements at room temperature. Sample thickness was measured using laser profilometry with the sample over a flat surface (Figure 1). The type I membrane had a measured thickness of 0.46 ± 0.02 mm, while the type II membrane displayed a slightly thicker dimension of 0.61 ± 0.04. Samples were then clamped into the stainless steel membrane holding grip of the membrane sample holder (Figure 2). The tests were immediately performed at room temperature in the ElastoSens™ Bio.
Figure 1: Measurement of sample thickness using a laser.
Figure 2: Pericardium membranes mounted in the membrane holding grip of the membrane sample holder.
Shear storage modulus (G’) was obtained for each membrane type (n=3). Average results are expressed as mean ± standard deviation. Comparisons among groups were evaluated by Welch’s t-test. Significance was retained when p < 0.05.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Figure 3 displays the average G’ (kPa) for each sample type (n=3). Pericardium membranes that received crosslinking treatment showed a G’ three times higher than the membranes without the treatment. It is important to note that a statistical difference was obtained (p=0.008) even with the inherent intra variability of animal tissues and the small number of samples (n=3), reinforcing the high repeatability and sensitivity of the results.
Figure 3: Average G’ (kPa) of bovine pericardium membranes without (type I) and with (type II) a crosslinking treatment (n=3). ** p=0.008
CONCLUSIONS
Biological membrane tissues were successfully loaded and tested ex vivo into the membrane sample holder of the ElastoSens™ Bio. This study illustrates the high repeatability and sensitivity of the instrument when using the membrane sample holder to measure this type of samples.
Impact & Use
- Biological and synthetic membrane samples can be easily and precisely measured with the membrane sample holder of the ElastoSens™ Bio.
- After testing, membrane samples can be stored in 12-well plates and measured over time to study their mechanical stability under controlled conditions.
- The effect of different formulations, manufacturing techniques and treatments on membrane samples can be easily studied using the viscoelastic properties obtained with the ElastoSens™ Bio.
- The mechanical properties of biological tissues and organs can effectively be tested ex vivo using the membrane sample holder of the ElastoSens™ Bio.
- The heterogeneity of membrane tissues in terms of mechanical properties can be mapped using the ElastoSens™ Bio.
- The viscoelastic properties obtained with the ElastoSens™ Bio is an important parameter to determine the variability of biological tissues (within the same organ, between different organs, and among species).
ElastoSens™ Bio
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