BIOMECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF ACELLULAR MYOCARDIAL SCAFFOLDS

Abstract

Introduction Decellularization of organs and tissues is essential for the development of bio-scaffolds in the field of tissue engineering. This study focuses on the investigation of the impact of decellularization on biomechanical properties of the caprine ventricular myocardium.

Methods Fresh caprine heart (n=6) was obtained from a local slaughterhouse and washed with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) three times. For decellularization, the left ventricular myocardial tissues were treated with 1% (wt/vol) of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) at 6°C for 7 days. Histological study was conducted on decellularized samples to confirm the decellularization procedure. Compression testing of native and acellular myocardium was performed and compared to understand the impact of decellularization. The modulus of elasticity at the high strain region (EH) and low strain region (EL) region was evaluated. Further, the compression testing data was fitted to the Ogden model, and parameter was obtained to understand the impact of decellularization in terms of material parameters.

Results Hematoxylin and eosin-stained acellular scaffold image showed no remains of cells in the tissues. Both native and acellular myocardium exhibited non-linear response. There is no significant difference in the EH and EL mechanical response of the acellular and the native myocardium. The stress-strain response was well fitted to Ogden model with R2 values reported greater than 0.99. The results in the fitting showed no significant differences in the material parameters of the native and decellularized myocardium. This study reports a decellularization protocol based on SDS treatment at lower temperature to obtain myocardium scaffold without any alteration in the mechanical properties.