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    Biomechanics

    (D-137) Optimization of Polydimethylsiloxane Membranes for Microscopic Tissue Tensile Mechanical Testing

    Friday, October 13, 2023
    3:30 PM – 4:30 PM PDT
    Location: Exhibit Hall - Row D - Poster # 137

      Presenting Author(s)

    • Andrea M Rivera

      Undergraduate Student
      Florida International University
      Doral, Florida, United States

      • Co-Author(s)

    • Daniel Chaparro

      PhD Student
      Florida International University
      Miami, Florida, United States

      • Primary Investigator(s)

    • JH

      Joshua D. Hutcheson

      Associate Professor
      Florida International University
      Miami, Florida, United States

    Introduction:: The aortic valve opens and closes about 3 billion times in a lifetime. To respond to the high mechanically active environment, aortic valve tissue function is determined by a finely tuned structure that dictates appropriate mechanical properties. Investigating the mechanical properties of aortic valves is essential to understanding physiology and changes that lead to disease. Mouse models are an increasingly popular method of investigating human aortic valve pathogenesis. Our lab has previously shown that mouse aortic valve leaflet (MAVL) tensile properties can be measured by attaching the tissues to an elastomer, applying equiaxial loads and calculating tissue deformations. However, the stiff elastomer used previously can mask subtle differences in tissue properties. Therefore, an elastomer that is more compatible with the elastic modulus of mouse aortic valve leaflets is necessary to improve the sensitivity of the analysis.

    Materials and Methods:: By manipulating the mass ratios in a mix of commercially available elastomers, Sylgard 184 and 527, we manufactured polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membranes of varying thicknesses with a tunable elastic modulus. Known equiaxial loads were applied to the membranes with the FlexCell StageFlexer microscopy system. The Ncorr Digital Image Correlation software was used to quantify the Green strain of the membranes. A custom MATLAB script was used to plot the load-strain curves of each membrane and determine their apparent stiffness.

    Results, Conclusions, and Discussions::

    Preparing PDMS membranes of varying thicknesses with blends of Sylgard 184 and Sylgard 527 results in elastomers with an apparent stiffness that ranges from 109 kPa to 290 kPa, lower than the modulus of the elastomer previously used (570 kPa). The membranes maintained a linear and isotropic response to tensile testing. We hypothesize that the manufactured PDMS membranes will improve the analysis of the tensile properties of MAVL as a softer elastomer may match the elastic modulus of these tissues better.



    Acknowledgements (Optional): :

    A.R. was supported by T34 GM083688. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.




    References (Optional): :