Mechanical properties of tissues

Table 6.1. Mechanical properties of tissue and synthetic materials...

Silver FH, Christiansen DL. Mechanical properties of tissues. In Biomaterials Science and Biocompatibility, New York Springer 1999 Chapter 7. 

IF proteins assemble into a filament with a diameter of 8-12 nm which is the intermediate size between those of microtubules (25 nm) and microfilaments (7-9 nm). Whereas microtubules and microfilaments are more likely to be related to many basic cellular functions [44, 45], intermediate filaments play a key role in mechanical properties of tissues and cells, such as the stiffness and maximum strain, and the mechanical integrity of various tissues such as muscle, liver, and skin [44, 46]. 

Figure 8.27 Mechanical properties of tissue and bioabsorbable material during medical treatment 113], (Reproduced with permission from Yoneda Shuppan, Japan.)...

If we return to our design of retractor and biopsy, the question of allowable force and deformation may be found in the literature, but more than often it will require a separate set of experiments to generate these force requirements. This is not an uncommon task researchers recognize the value of characterizing mechanical properties of tissue whereby these properties would be used as guides to developing surgical tools and robots. 

FIGURE 27.1 Changes in mechanical properties of tissue and implant during tissue regeneration (recreated from Ref. 6 with permission from Yoneda Shuppan). 

Elbjeirami, W.M., E.O. Yonter, B.C. Starcher, and J.L. West. 2003. Enhancing mechanical properties of tissue engineered constructs via lysyl oxidase crosslinking activity. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research 66A 513-521. 

Vunjak-Novakovic, G., I. Martin et al. 1999. Bioreactor cultivation conditions modulate the composition and mechanical properties of tissue-engineered cartilage. / Orthop Res 17(1) 130-38. 

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