Tissue Stretching System with Integrated Force Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current microscopy systems lack the capability to simultaneously apply mechanical stimulation and sense force in real-time while imaging biological cells, which is essential for understanding cell response to dynamic environments and determining mechanical properties of tissues.
Innovation Solution
A tissue-stretching system equipped with a stretching platform that integrates high-resolution force sensing capabilities and is tailored for microscopy cell culture experiments. This system includes a stretching frame, a motor, pillars coated with biological substrates, a force sensor, and an imaging device, allowing for real-time force measurement and imaging during mechanical stimulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If known mechanical stimulation platforms use synthetic non-physiologically relevant materials, then the system structure is simple, but the biological relevance and reliability of cell response measurement deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from synthetic to physiological materials (collagen, fibronectin, laminin coatings) to improve biological relevance while maintaining the mechanical stimulation function. This allows cells to respond naturally to the mechanical environment without artificial material interference.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses composite structures combining physiological materials (collagen, fibronectin, laminin) with the mechanical stimulation platform, creating a hybrid system that maintains both mechanical functionality and biological compatibility. This resolves the contradiction by integrating multiple material types to achieve both structural integrity and biological relevance.
2Measurement precision
If known systems do not have real-time force sensing capability, then the device complexity is low, but the measurement precision of mechanical properties deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the force sensing capability with the existing mechanical stimulation platform and microscopy system, creating an integrated system that simultaneously performs stimulation, sensing, and imaging. This combination allows real-time force measurement without requiring completely separate systems, thus improving measurement precision while controlling overall complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is designed to perform multiple functions: mechanical stimulation, real-time force sensing, and microscopy imaging simultaneously. This multi-functionality allows a single integrated platform to address multiple research needs, improving measurement precision while avoiding the complexity of multiple separate systems.
3Loss of information
If the system applies mechanical stimulation to cells, then the biological insight into cell response is improved, but the ability to maintain stable imaging conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains continuous imaging during mechanical stimulation through coordinated control of the stimulation and imaging cycles. This ensures that the useful action of both stimulation and imaging continues without interruption, capturing dynamic cell responses while maintaining stable imaging conditions through synchronized operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The real-time force sensing provides feedback that allows the system to monitor and adjust mechanical stimulation parameters dynamically. This feedback mechanism ensures that imaging stability is maintained by allowing real-time adjustments to stimulation parameters based on actual force measurements, preventing artifacts that would compromise imaging quality.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system enables precise mechanical characterization of tissues during uniaxial stretching, providing valuable insights into cell behavior and tissue mechanics, particularly relevant for understanding cancer cell progression in dynamic environments.
Implementation Method 1
a stretching platform with high-resolution force sensing capabilities
Implementation Method 2
a motor... providing the appropriate strain to the sample
Implementation Method 3
the amount of displacement from the motor may be determined to obtain the amount of strain applied to a sample
Implementation Method 4
the first pillar and/or the second pillar may be a PDMS (Polydimethylsiloxane) structure configured to probe the mechanical properties in between a designed gap
Data Source
AI summary
A tissue stretching system includes a motor, a first pillar, a second pillar, a force sensor, and an imaging device. The tissue stretching system may be provided as a 2D axial tissue stretcher that may monitor changes in mechanical properties over time. Tissues may be coated onto the first pillar and/or the second pillar. In a specific example, the first pillar and/or the second pillar may be a PDMS (Polydimethylsiloxane) structure configured to probe the mechanical properties in between a designed gap of the first pillar and the second pillar. The motor of the tissue stretching system includes a microcontroller. The motor of the tissue stretching system may have high resolution capabilities to provide the appropriate strain to the sample. The tissue stretching system then determines the actual amount of strain applied to the sample.