Approximation of extracted features enabling 3D design tuning for reproducing the mechanical behaviour of biological soft tissues.

This article describes a new method, inspired by machine learning, to mimic the mechanical behaviour of target biological soft tissues with 3D printed materials. The principle is to optimise the structure of a 3D printed composite consisting of a geometrically tunable fibre embedded in a soft matrix. Physiological features are extracted from experimental stress-strain curves of several biological soft tissues. Then, using a cubic Bézier curve as the composite inner fibre, we optimised its geometric parameters, amplitude and height, to generate a specimen that exhibits a stress-strain curve in accordance with the extracted features of tensile tests. From this first phase, we created a database of specimen geometries that can be used to reproduce a wide variety of biological soft tissues. We applied this process to two soft tissues with very different behaviours: the mandibular periosteum and the calvarial periosteum. The results show that our method can successfully reproduce the mechanical behaviour of these tissues. This highlights the versatility of this approach and demonstrates that it can be extended to mimic various biological soft tissues.

Identification of a visco-hyperelastic model for mandibular periosteum.

In this paper, a visco-hyperelastic model representing the mechanical behavior of the human mandibular periosteum as an anisotropic and homogeneous material is identified. Different models, extracted from the literature, are tested and associated in order to describe the elastic and visco-elastic contributions of the cellular matrix on one hand and the collagen fibers on the other hand. The parameters of these models are determined using five human mandibular periosteum. Each harvested sample is cut and tested, at two different velocities, either longitudinally or transversely to collagen fibers main direction. The hyperelastic and visco-elastic contributions of the cellular matrix are extracted using tensile tests performed transversely. The hyperelastic and visco-elastic contributions of the collagen fibers are extracted using tensile tests performed longitudinally. In a second time, the identified combination of models is validated using twelve samples only tested longitudinally. The selected combination uses the simplified Rivlin's 2nd order law to model the hyper-elasticity of the cellular matrix, the Kulkarni's law to model its visco-elasticity contribution, and the Kulkarni's laws to model the whole contributions of collagen fibers.

Modeling of the human mandibular periosteum material properties and comparison with the calvarial periosteum.

Knowledge of mandibular periosteum mechanical properties is fundamental for understanding its role in craniofacial growth, in trauma and bone regeneration. There is a lack in the literature regarding mechanical behavior of the human periosteum, including both experimental and modeling aspects. The proposed study involves tensile tests of periosteum samples from different locations including two locations of human mandibular periosteum: lingual and vestibular, compared with samples from various locations of the calvarial periosteum. We propose to analyze the tensile response of the mandibular periosteum using a model, initially applied on the skin, and based on a structural approach involving the mechanical properties of the corrugation of the collagen. Two different approaches for the model parameters' identification are proposed: (1) identification from experimental curve fitting and (2) identification from histological study. This approach allows us to compare parameters extracted from the traction test fitting to structural parameters measured on periosteum histological slices. Concerning experimental aspects, we showed significant differences, in terms of stiffness, between calvarial and mandibular periostea. (The mean final stiffness is [Formula: see text] for the mandible versus [Formula: see text] for the calvaria.) About modeling, we succeed to capture the correct mechanical behavior for the periosteum, and the statistical analysis showed that certain parameters from the geometric data and traction data are significantly comparable (e.g., [Formula: see text] for [Formula: see text]). However, we also observed a discrepancy between these two approaches for the elongation at which the fibril has become straight ([Formula: see text]).

Contribution of the periosteum to mandibular distraction.

Mandibular distraction is a surgical process that progressively lengthens bone. To improve the distraction procedure and devices, the load of distraction and the mechanical strain of soft tissues during the process must be determined. We tested the assumption that it could be the periosteum primarily opposing distraction. Therefore we assessed the mechanical properties of the human mandibular periosteum and compared the stress-strain data with the torque measured on the activator during a cadaveric mandibular distraction. A 20 mm horizontal mandibular distraction was performed in 7 cadavers using standard distractors. Torque was measured with a torquemeter placed on the activation rods of the devices, providing a load (Lt) for each millimeter of distraction. In parallel, 18 periosteum samples were harvested from 9 cadaver mandibles. Uniaxial tensile tests were performed on the specimens and an estimated load (Lc) was calculated using periosteal stress-strain data and mandibular dimensions. During the distraction process, we observed an increase of the load Lt from 11.6 to 50.6 N. The periosteum exhibited a nonlinear viscoelastic stress-strain relationship, typical of biological tissues composed of collagen and elastin. The median Lc and Lt were not significantly different for the first millimeter of distraction. We demonstrated the periosteum is primarily responsible for opposing the distraction load.

HLA Awareness in tissue decellularization: A paradigm shift for enhanced biocompatibility, studied on the model of the human fascia lata graft.

Last twenties, tissue engineering has rapidly advanced to address the shortage of organ donors. Decellularization techniques have been developed to mitigate immune rejection and alloresponse in transplantation. However, a clear definition of effective decellularization remains elusive. This study compares various decellularization protocols using the human fascia lata model. Morphological, structural and cytotoxicity/viability analyses indicated that all the five tested protocols were equivalent and met Crapo's criteria for successful decellularization. Interestingly, only the in vivo immunization test on rats revealed differences. Only one protocol exhibited Human Leucocyte Antigen (HLA) content below 1% residual threshold, the only criterion preventing rat immunization with an absence of rat anti-human IgG switch after one month (N=4 donors for each of the 7 groups, added by negative and positive controls, n=28). By respecting a refined set of criteria, i.e. lack of visible nuclear material, <50ng DNA/mg dry weight of extracellular matrix, and <1% residual HLA content, the potential for adverse host reactions can be drastically reduced. In conclusion, this study emphasizes the importance of considering not only nuclear components but also major histocompatibility complex in decellularization protocols and proposes new guidelines to promote safer clinical development and use of bioengineered scaffolds.