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SUMMARY:SWISSMECH Seminar : Multiscale mechanics of human skin
DTSTART:20221215T160000
DTEND:20221215T170000
DTSTAMP:20260916T085837Z
UID:fe420bc214ba3a74d5f056c2000369a7d054703bfdde8e15cc51de55
CATEGORIES:Conferences - Seminars
DESCRIPTION:  Prof. Edoardo Mazza Experimental Continuum Mechanics\, ETH 
 Zürich\nEmpa\, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Techn
 ology\, Dübendorf\nAbstract: The mechanical properties of human skin are
  linked to its function at both tissue and cell length scale. In fact\, th
 e tissue has to provide sufficient compliance to enable body movements\, b
 ut it also forms a mechanically stable barrier against external loads. At 
 cell length scale\, the mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix 
 influence the behavior of dermal cells\, e.g. during tissue repair and ski
 n growth.\nWe combined ex-vivo multiaxial tensile experiments with in-vivo
  suction measurements and 3D tissue imaging in order to develop a multilay
 er poroelastic model of human skin. Each skin layer is represented as a bi
 phasic material\, with the solid part characterized by a fiber network and
  a compressible matrix\, while interstitial fluid flow is driven by gradie
 nts of the chemical potential\, which result from the boundary conditions 
 imposed and the fixed charge distribution in the tissue. The corresponding
  mechanical response indicates an average stiffness akin to a modulus in t
 he range of 100 kPa. However\, testing on the macroscale does not allow ch
 aracterizing the mechanical microenvironment of dermal cells\, for which s
 everal orders of magnitude lower stiffness has been reported.\nWe rational
 ized the discrepancy between micro- and macroscale mechanics using a hybri
 d discrete-continuum model representative of the heterogeneous microstruct
 ure of the dermis. Fibers are modeled as nonlinear elastic connectors. Bip
 hasic continuum elements provide a representation of interstitial fluid\, 
 proteoglycans and other non-collagenous ECM components. Model parameters w
 ere selected to provide a reasonable fit for experimental data at macro- a
 nd microscales.\nThe resulting multiscale model representation of skin all
 ows to investigate the relationship between tissue microstructure and its 
 fracture properties\, and specifically to understand the deformation mecha
 nisms contributing to its high defect tolerance. Moreover\, simulation of 
 skin stretch in-vivo provides quantitative information on the associated c
 hanges in cell-perceived stiffness and chemical potential of the interstit
 ial fluid\, and both are expected to influence the behavior of resident ce
 lls during skin homeostasis and repair.
LOCATION:https://ethz.zoom.us/j/94817809233?pwd=N0pzbnQwSFFTQnVPcVR3SkNrd2
 9OQT09
STATUS:CONFIRMED
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