Purpose: Spinal dura mater plays a crucial role in the biomechanics and protection of the spine. Therefore, the present study investigated the dura mater's mechanical and basic morphological properties to learn more about the biomechanical behaviour of this fibrous membrane. Methods: Tissue strips, oriented in the longitudinal and circumferential directions, were cut from the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar vertebrae parts of the porcine spinal cord. Uniaxial tensile tests were performed using a device with a speed of 4 mm/min until rupture of the sample. Results: It was demonstrated that the dura mater is a heterogeneous, anisotropic material. The longitudinal excised specimens showed the highest values of mechanical properties (ultimate force (FU), the stiffness coefficient (k), ultimate tensile strength (σUTS), and Young’s modulus (E)) compared to those of the circumferentially. Confocal microscopy and sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay enabled us to visualise collagen and elastin elements more efficiently without a need for sample fixation. Conclusions: The spinal dura mater mechanical properties are not uniform along the entire length of the spinal cord, but, in the case of morphological features, no major differences were noticed. The utilisation of SRB occurred to be a non-destructive, fast, and efficient tool for visualising even the smallest elastic fibres on different depths of examined samples. The mechanical and morphological properties of the dura mater provided by this study can be further used in computational modelling to understand injury mechanisms better and help develop injury prevention strategies.
Development of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a dynamic process proceeding as a result of the multi-factor pathological remodelling of elastin and collagen fibres, results an aneurysm expansion. In clinical practice, development of AAA is identified with aneurysm growth. Hence, the aim of this paper is to propose a taxonomy of load-bearing structural components alterations for AAA with relatively constant maximum diameter (average diameter 6.9±0.8 cm). Structural investigations of normal (n=47) and aneurismal (n=46) vessels were carried out on the basis of histological and ultrastructural examinations. The histological preparations were subjected to histometric evaluation; the number of collagen and elastin fibres and additionally the thickness of the particular vascular wall layers. A qualitative analysis of the abdominal aortic wall, mainly estimation of fibres arrangement, based on histological and ultrastructural (SEM) examinations were additionally performed. Using a cluster analysis, three stages of load-bearing fibres alterations for AAA population were distinguished. The clusters were systematized according to NAA results. For AAA population with relatively constant maximum diameter in the first stage of load-bearing fibres remodeling was observed a substantial loss of elastin fibres. The second stage is characterized by an increase in the number of collagen fibres. In the final stage the number of collagen is dramatically reduced. Presented results provide evidence to risk of AAA rupture is not connected with AAA size but a remodelling of extra-cellular matrix proteins. The remodelling is accompanied by changes in the AAA wall thickness, which should be taken into consideration when evaluating the degree of advancement of this disease.
Rozwój tętniaków, w tym aorty brzusznej (AAA) jest dynamicznym procesem, który zachodzi w wyniku wieloczynnikowego, patologicznego remodelingu tkanki łącznej ściany aorty. Badania strukturalne ścian naczyń tętniczych (zdrowych i z tętniakiem) przeprowadzono w oparciu o analizę histologiczną i ultrastrukturalną. Analiza porównawcza wyników wykazała, że w przypadku preparatów ścian tętniaków aorty brzusznej odnotowano cały szereg zmian, które są charakterystyczne dla rozważanego schorzenia, w tym: wzmożony proces neowaskularyzacji oraz obecność nacieku zapalnego. Ponadto, odnotowano zatarcie granic między warstwami oraz redukcję ich grubości, co szczególnie zaznaczyło się w przypadku błony wewnętrznej. Zaobserwowano istotny ubytek włókien elastynowych oraz zmienny co do intensywności w poszczególnych przypadkach ubytek włókien kolagenowych. Wykazano także, że zmiany w liczbie włókien tkanki łącznej odgrywają kluczową rolę w procesie rozwoju AAA.
EN
The development of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a dynamic process proceeding as a result of the multi-factor pathological remodelling of the connective tissue. Structural investigations of normal and aneurismal vessels were carried out on the basis of histological and ultrastructural examinations. A comparative analysis of the experimental results revealed a whole series of changes characteristic of the AAA walls (intensified neovascularisation and inflammatory infiltrations). In addition, the boundaries between the layers were found to be blurred and the thickness of the layers was reduced. A substantial loss of elastin fibres and a case-specific loss of collagen fibres were observed. The number of connective tissue fibres play a key role in the AAA development.
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