Iranian Journal of Biomedical Engineering (IJBME)
نشریه علمی مهندسی پزشکی زیستی

An Experimental Study on Alginate-Fibroin Hydrogels Mechanical Capability as Scaffolds for Vascular Tissue Engineering

Document Type : Full Research Paper

Authors

Mehdi Navidbakhsh 1
Mehdi Sajjadi 2
Simzar Hosseinzade 3

1 Professor, School of Mechanical Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran

2 Master Student. School of Mechanical Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran

3 Associating Professor, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22041/ijbme.2017.73272.1282
Abstract
Tissue engineering is a promising approach for developing viable alternative for current treatments of cardiovascular diseases such as autologous vessel and synthetic bypass graft transplantation. One of the major challenges in development of an applicable tissue engineered vessel is proper design of scaffold. Scaffolds are served to mimic the natural in vivo environment of cells where they interact and behave according to the mechanical cues obtained from the surrounding extracellular matrix. In recent studies alginate hydrogels containing silk fibroin protein have shown sufficient biological capability for vascular cells attachment, spreading, growth and metabolic activity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the mechanical properties of mentioned hydrogels as scaffolds for vascular tissue engineering.  Elastic modulus of linear region, yield strain and stress and compliance of three types of Alginate based hydrogel with different synthesis procedures were obtained via uniaxial tensile test of dogbone shaped specimens and thick-wall cylinders stress-strain equations. Results were compared to find the optimal formulation and synthesis process for mimicing mechanical properties of native tissue. Results of this study shows that while the proposed formulation of alginate/fibroin hydrogel lacks required mechanical stiffness, flexibility and strength; hybrid dual-network hydrogels of alginate/fibroin/polyacrylamide with a two-steps synthesis process and cross-linked by Fe3+ and Ca2+ cations promote suitable mechanical properties to be used as vascular tissue engineering scaffolds. Adding polyacrylamide to alginate-firoin hydrogels increased its elastisity modulus from 46 kPa to 480 kPa with a two step gelation process which makes it more similar to arteries wall tissue mechanically.

Keywords

Alginate Hydrogels
Vascular Tissue Engineering
Mechanical Properties of Hydrogels
Polyacrylamide

Subjects

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Iranian Journal of Biomedical Engineering (IJBME)
Volume 11, Issue 1
Spring 2017
Pages 51-61

  • Receive Date 08 October 2017
  • Revise Date 08 November 2017
  • Accept Date 26 November 2017

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