Characteristics and Young’s Modulus of Collagen Fibrils from Expanded Skin Using Anisotropic Controlled Rate Self-Inflating Tissue Expander

Mechanical properties of expanded skin tissue are different from normal skin, which is dependent mainly on the structural and functional integrity of dermal collagen fibrils. In the present study, mechanical properties and surface topography of both expanded and nonexpanded skin collagen fibrils were evaluated. Anisotropic controlled rate self-inflating tissue expanders were placed beneath the skin of sheep’s forelimbs. The tissue expanders gradually increased in height and reached equilibrium in 2 weeks. They were left in situ for another 2 weeks before explantation. Expanded and normal skin samples were surgically harvested from the sheep (n = 5). Young’s modulus and surface topography of collagen fibrils were measured using an atomic force microscope. A surface topographic scan showed organized hierarchical structural levels: collagen molecules, fibrils and fibers. No significant difference was detected for the D-banding pattern: 63.5 ± 2.6 nm (normal skin) and 63.7 ± 2.7 nm (expanded skin). Fibrils from expanded tissues consisted of Received: December 30, 2014 Accepted after revision: May 11, 2015 Published online: February 3, 2016 Zamri Radzi Department of Paediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics Faculty of Dentistry, University of Malaya Kuala Lumpur 50603 (Malaysia) E-Mail zamrir @ um.edu.my © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel 1660–5527/16/0292–0055$39.50/0