The objective of this unit is to provide services for structural and physical characterization of biological tissues and tissue scaffolding, including microstructure, histology and mechanical tests among others. This platform, unique in Spain as regarding its capability, has a clear and direct translational impact, especially in regenerative medicine, implant design and evaluation, as well as in the study of the mechanical behavior of living tissues (especially in the musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems). It has several types of INSTRON testing machines (uniaxial, biaxial, axial-torsional and dynamic test machine with several ranges of load cells from 5 N to 2 kN) specialized in biological tissues, for the characterization of soft tissues and fibers, including a Nano BIONIX MTS, as well as an X-ray microCT which allows quantitatively characterizing the microstructure of in vitro samples of hard tissues and of biomaterials for scaffolds. Also, it counts with an Atomic force microscope to determine the topography and the mechanical properties of cells and biomaterials in in vivo like conditions. This AFM is equipped with a Cellhesion 200 head that provides a 100 microns displacement in Z axis allowing the cell-cell or cell-substrate adhesion measurements and provides optical images coupled to mechanical forces.
The principal experimental tests and analysis are uniaxial, biaxial, compressive, shear stress, indentation, inflation, tomography, histology, in order to capture phenomena such as elastic, viscoelastic, fatigue or softening behaviours.
Planar-biaxial testing INSTRON machine
Digital Volume Correlation (DVC) system for analysis of images
Axial-torsional testing INSTRON machine
Dynamic testing INSTRON machine
Vascular BioDynamic and Uniaxial Bose Test Instruments machines
Atomic Force Microscopy JPK
MicroCT Explore Locus SP"
The equipment available:
MicroCT GE eXplore Locus SP (GE):
Computed X-ray Axial Tomograph for the non-destructive study of the microstructure and in vitro tomography:
›› Samples of up to 40 mm in diameter; resolution of 10 m.
›› Different types of tissues, implants, scaffolds, etc.
›› Complete "section-by-section" imaging with a single rotation (cone beam volumetric technology); excellent image quality and "signal-to-noise" ratio.
››"Bone Analysis Tool" software provided with:
•• BMD (Bone Mineral Density): It calculates the density of minerals in the bone, the bone volume fraction and the mineral content in the bone.
•• Anisotropy: It determines the degree of symmetry and the orientation of the trabecular structure.
•• Cortical Analysis: It determines "section-by-section" the width, surface area and the BMD value of the cortical bone.
•• Stereology: It provides the bone volume fraction, the ratio between the surface of the bone and its volume and the width of the trabecular plate.
•• Direct Measures: It determines the local trabecular width of a bone and allows obtaining a visual representation of this local width.
AFM: Atomic Force Microscopy JPK. AFMs can be used to measure the forces between the probe and the sample as a function of their mutual separation. This can be applied to perform force spectroscopy.
Machines for mechanical tests:
Instron MicroTester 5848 and 5548: electromechanical machines for displacement or load control tests:
•• load range from 1mN to 2kN at full scale.
•• load cells of:+/- 5, 50, 500 and 1000N.
•• synchronous data capture in all the channels up to 500 Hz.
Biaxial Instron MicroTester 8874: axial-torsional, servohydraulic testing machine:
•• load capacity of 25 kN and 100 Nm.
•• fatigue tests at a low number of cycles.
›› Software for data control and analysis.
›› Accessories and tools especially designed by the group, which allow a wide flexibility in designing tests, allowing the verification and/or validation of theoretical models.
›› AVE video extensometer connected to the machines; resolution of 0.5 m. To determine the axial and transverse deformation without contact (tension, dynamic properties and viscoelasticity) of the samples.
E1000 Test Instrument: Dynamic systems to offer slow-speed static testing and high-frequency dynamic fatigue testing with hundreds of Hertz capability: Load range: 250 N to 2.0 KN.
Nano BIONIX MTS: For nanomechanical characterization of biomaterials. Load range to 0.001N to 0.5N."