Trehalose-Impregnated Biological Tissue for Sterilization Strength Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Sterilization of biological tissue leads to significant damage and strength reduction due to lyophilization and rehydration, causing tissue degeneration with lower moisture content and hardness.
Innovation Solution
Impregnating biological tissue with a trehalose solution (20 wt % to 35 wt % in phosphate buffered saline) followed by drying and sterilization with ethylene oxide gas or hydrogen peroxide low-temperature plasma to maintain tissue structure and strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sterilization is applied to biological tissue, then sterilization is achieved, but tissue strength and structure are significantly damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The biological tissue is impregnated with trehalose solution before sterilization treatment. This preliminary action of introducing the sugar glass-forming substance protects the tissue structure during subsequent sterilization, preventing strength loss and degeneration while maintaining sterilization effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
Trehalose acts as an intermediary substance between the tissue and the sterilization process. The trehalose forms a protective glass matrix that mediates the interaction between sterilization conditions and tissue components, preventing direct damage to collagen and other biological structures
2Duration of action of stationary object
If lyophilization and rehydration are performed on biological tissue, then sterilization and storage are enabled, but tissue degeneration occurs with lower moisture content and increased hardness
Solution Approach 1:
The trehalose concentration in the impregnation solution is optimized to 20-35 wt% to achieve the desired glass transition temperature and protective effect. This parameter optimization ensures that the tissue maintains appropriate moisture content and softness after storage, preventing excessive hardening while enabling long-term storage
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
Suppresses tissue degeneration and strength reduction, maintaining tissue structure and flexibility comparable to pre-treatment levels, with optimal trehalose concentration range of 20 wt % to 35 wt %.
Implementation Method 1
biological tissue is immersed in a trehalose solution and shaken for about 24 hours to impregnate the biological tissue with the trehalose solution
Implementation Method 2
the biological tissue is dried to remove moisture in the biological tissue. The drying here is not particularly limited; however, it is carried out at a temperature of about −45° C. for about 24 hours
Implementation Method 3
the tissue is sterilized with ethylene oxide gas
Implementation Method 4
Hydrogen peroxide low-temperature plasma sterilization
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention suppresses the strength reduction or degeneration of a tissue after the tissue is dried and/or sterilized, for the tissue comprising biological components and the like. Specifically, biological tissue is immersed in a trehalose solution and shaken, thereby impregnating the biological tissue with the trehalose solution. The trehalose solution used here is one obtained by dissolving trehalose in a phosphate buffered saline, the concentration of trehalose being preferably in the range of 20 wt % to 35 wt %. Thereafter, the biological tissue is dried to remove moisture in the biological tissue, and sterilized with ethylene oxide gas.