Tissue engineering scaffolds for cell substrate mechanical interaction studies

A mechanical test and analysis system was developed to examine synthetic hydrogel matrix mechanical effects on cancer cells. Specifically, a stage apparatus was designed for studying the bulk mechanical properties of various hydrogel samples and their contributions to cancer cell phenotypic expression. The confined mechanical compression system was implemented for use with a commercial mechanical tester. Utilizing a “waterfall” design methodology, hardware suitable for the task was designed and built. Preliminary testing of the equipment was performed using formulations of 2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate with varying concentrations of methacrylic acid monomers. An overview of the equipment design and representative preliminary data gathered during process prove-out is presented. The measurement of storage and loss moduli with the system is discussed.