Age-dependent viscoelastic characterization of rat brain cortex
Recent efforts in biomaterial-assisted brain tissue engineering suggest that match of mechanical properties of biomaterials to those of native brain tissue may be crucial for brain regeneration. In particular, the mechanical properties of native brain tissue vary as a function of age. To date, detai...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Brain Multiphysics |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666522022000132 |
| _version_ | 1811201740874186752 |
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| author | Bo Xue Xuejun Wen Ram Kuwar Dong Sun Ning Zhang |
| author_facet | Bo Xue Xuejun Wen Ram Kuwar Dong Sun Ning Zhang |
| author_sort | Bo Xue |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Recent efforts in biomaterial-assisted brain tissue engineering suggest that match of mechanical properties of biomaterials to those of native brain tissue may be crucial for brain regeneration. In particular, the mechanical properties of native brain tissue vary as a function of age. To date, detailed characterization of age-dependent viscoelastic properties of brain tissue throughout the postnatal development to adulthood is only available at sparse age points in animal studies. To fill this gap, we have characterized the linear viscoelastic properties of the cerebral cortex in rats at well-spaced ages from postnatal day 4 to 4 months old, the age range that is widely used in neural regeneration studies. Using an oscillatory rheometer, the viscoelastic properties of rat cortical slices were measured independently by storage moduli (G′) and loss moduli (G″). The data demonstrated increases in both the storage moduli and the loss moduli of cortex tissue over post-natal age in rats. At all ages, the damping factor (G″/G′ ratio) remained constant at low oscillatory strain frequencies (<10 rad/s) before it started to decline at medium frequency range (10-100 rad/s). Such changes were not age-dependent. The stress-relaxation response increased over post-natal age, consistent with the increasing tissue stiffness. Taken together, our study demonstrates that age is a crucial factor determining the mechanical properties of the cerebral cortex in rats during early postnatal development. This data may provide the guidelines for age-specific biomechanics study of brain tissue and help to define the mechanical properties of biomaterials for biomaterial-assisted brain tissue regeneration studies. Statement of significance: Studies about age-dependent viscoelastic properties of rat brain tissue throughout the postnatal development to adulthood is sparsely available. To fill up the gap of knowledge, in this study, we have characterized the age-dependent viscoelastic properties and the linear viscoelastic properties of the cerebral cortex throughout the postnatal development stage to adulthood in rats by measuring storage moduli (G′), loss moduli (G″), damping factor (G″/G′ ratio) and stress-relaxation response. We have found that age is a crucial factor determining the mechanical properties of the cerebral cortex in rats during early postnatal development. The findings of this study could provide guidelines for age-specific biomechanical study of brain tissue and help to define the mechanical properties of biomaterials for biomaterial-assisted brain tissue regeneration in experimental models in rats. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T02:26:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bc6ecb60cd574fb9ad56eca92f760518 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2666-5220 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T02:26:59Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Brain Multiphysics |
| spelling | doaj.art-bc6ecb60cd574fb9ad56eca92f7605182022-12-22T03:51:56ZengElsevierBrain Multiphysics2666-52202022-01-013100056Age-dependent viscoelastic characterization of rat brain cortexBo Xue0Xuejun Wen1Ram Kuwar2Dong Sun3Ning Zhang4Institute for Engineering and Medicine, Department of Chemical and Life Science, Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, 601 West Main Street, Room, 403, Richmond, Virginia 23284, USAInstitute for Engineering and Medicine, Department of Chemical and Life Science, Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, 601 West Main Street, Room, 403, Richmond, Virginia 23284, USA, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, P. R. China, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100015, P. R. ChinaDepartment of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Medical College of Virginia Campus, Virginia Commonwealth University, P.O. Box 980709, Richmond, VA 23298, USADepartment of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Medical College of Virginia Campus, Virginia Commonwealth University, P.O. Box 980709, Richmond, VA 23298, USA; Corresponding authors.Corresponding authors.; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Engineering West Hall, Room 444, 601 West Main Street, Richmond, Virginia 23284, USARecent efforts in biomaterial-assisted brain tissue engineering suggest that match of mechanical properties of biomaterials to those of native brain tissue may be crucial for brain regeneration. In particular, the mechanical properties of native brain tissue vary as a function of age. To date, detailed characterization of age-dependent viscoelastic properties of brain tissue throughout the postnatal development to adulthood is only available at sparse age points in animal studies. To fill this gap, we have characterized the linear viscoelastic properties of the cerebral cortex in rats at well-spaced ages from postnatal day 4 to 4 months old, the age range that is widely used in neural regeneration studies. Using an oscillatory rheometer, the viscoelastic properties of rat cortical slices were measured independently by storage moduli (G′) and loss moduli (G″). The data demonstrated increases in both the storage moduli and the loss moduli of cortex tissue over post-natal age in rats. At all ages, the damping factor (G″/G′ ratio) remained constant at low oscillatory strain frequencies (<10 rad/s) before it started to decline at medium frequency range (10-100 rad/s). Such changes were not age-dependent. The stress-relaxation response increased over post-natal age, consistent with the increasing tissue stiffness. Taken together, our study demonstrates that age is a crucial factor determining the mechanical properties of the cerebral cortex in rats during early postnatal development. This data may provide the guidelines for age-specific biomechanics study of brain tissue and help to define the mechanical properties of biomaterials for biomaterial-assisted brain tissue regeneration studies. Statement of significance: Studies about age-dependent viscoelastic properties of rat brain tissue throughout the postnatal development to adulthood is sparsely available. To fill up the gap of knowledge, in this study, we have characterized the age-dependent viscoelastic properties and the linear viscoelastic properties of the cerebral cortex throughout the postnatal development stage to adulthood in rats by measuring storage moduli (G′), loss moduli (G″), damping factor (G″/G′ ratio) and stress-relaxation response. We have found that age is a crucial factor determining the mechanical properties of the cerebral cortex in rats during early postnatal development. The findings of this study could provide guidelines for age-specific biomechanical study of brain tissue and help to define the mechanical properties of biomaterials for biomaterial-assisted brain tissue regeneration in experimental models in rats.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666522022000132Viscoelastic propertiesRheometryAge-dependenceCerebral cortex |
| spellingShingle | Bo Xue Xuejun Wen Ram Kuwar Dong Sun Ning Zhang Age-dependent viscoelastic characterization of rat brain cortex Brain Multiphysics Viscoelastic properties Rheometry Age-dependence Cerebral cortex |
| title | Age-dependent viscoelastic characterization of rat brain cortex |
| title_full | Age-dependent viscoelastic characterization of rat brain cortex |
| title_fullStr | Age-dependent viscoelastic characterization of rat brain cortex |
| title_full_unstemmed | Age-dependent viscoelastic characterization of rat brain cortex |
| title_short | Age-dependent viscoelastic characterization of rat brain cortex |
| title_sort | age dependent viscoelastic characterization of rat brain cortex |
| topic | Viscoelastic properties Rheometry Age-dependence Cerebral cortex |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666522022000132 |
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