Changes in the microstructure of the human aortic medial layer under biaxial loading investigated by multi-photon microscopy

Anna Pukaluk, Heimo Wolinski, Christian Viertler, Peter Regitnig, Gerhard Holzapfel, Gerhard Sommer*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Understanding the correlation between tissue architecture, health status, and mechanical properties is essential for improving material models and developing tissue engineering scaffolds. Since structural-based material models are state of the art, there is an urgent need for experimentally obtained structural parameters. For this purpose, the medial layer of nine human abdominal aortas was simultaneously subjected to equibiaxial loading and multi-photon microscopy. At each loading interval of 0.02, collagen and elastin fibers were imaged based on their second-harmonic generation signal and two-photon excited autofluorescence, respectively. The structural alterations in the fibers were quantified using the parameters of orientation, diameter, and waviness. The results of the mechanical tests divided the sample cohort into the ruptured and non-ruptured, and stiff and non-stiff groups, which were covered by the findings from histological investigations. The alterations in structural parameters provided an explanation for the observed mechanical behavior. In addition, the waviness parameters of both collagen and elastin fibers showed the potential to serve as indicators of tissue strength. The data provided address deficiencies in current material models and bridge multiscale mechanisms in the aortic media.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)396-413
JournalActa Biomaterialia
Volume151
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2022

Keywords

  • Human aortic media
  • Collagen and elastin
  • Biaxial extension test
  • Multi-photon microscopy
  • Structural quantification

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