Towards Tuning the Mechanical Properties of Three-Dimensional Collagen Scaffolds Using a Coupled Fiber-Matrix Model

Authors

Shengmao Lin, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Lauren A. Hapach, Cornell UniversityFollow
Cynthia Reinhart-King, Cornell UniversityFollow
Linxia Gu, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

2015

Citation

Materials 2015, 8, 5376-5384; doi:10.3390/ma8085254

Comments

© 2015 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution license

Abstract

Scaffold mechanical properties are essential in regulating the microenvironment of three-dimensional cell culture. A coupled fiber-matrix numerical model was developed in this work for predicting the mechanical response of collagen scaffolds subjected to various levels of non-enzymatic glycation and collagen concentrations. The scaffold was simulated by a Voronoi network embedded in a matrix. The computational model was validated using published experimental data. Results indicate that both non-enzymatic glycation-induced matrix stiffening and fiber network density, as regulated by collagen concentration, influence scaffold behavior. The heterogeneous stress patterns of the scaffold were induced by the interfacial mechanics between the collagen fiber network and the matrix. The knowledge obtained in this work could help to fine-tune the mechanical properties of collagen scaffolds for improved tissue regeneration applications.