Publications by authors named "Andrew R Bushman"
Article Synopsis
- Fibrillar collagens and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are crucial components of the extracellular matrix (ECM), and this study investigates how specific GAGs—chondroitin sulfate (CS), dermatan sulfate (DS), and hyaluronic acid (HA)—affect the mechanical and microstructural properties of collagen hydrogels.
- The research reveals that while HA enhances the ECM's stiffness, all GAGs tested do not impact hydraulic permeability, indicating distinct roles in regulating matrix structure and organization.
- The findings emphasize the importance of utilizing various experimental techniques, like mechanical testing and imaging, to better understand the dynamics of collagen self-assembly and how GAGs influence ECM properties at different
Article Synopsis
- Fibrillar collagens and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are essential components of the extracellular matrix (ECM), influencing its structure and mechanical properties.
- This study investigates how different GAGs (chondroitin sulfate, dermatan sulfate, and hyaluronic acid) affect ECM properties at a cellular scale, including stiffness, transport efficiency, and microstructure of collagen-based hydrogels.
- The findings reveal that GAGs alter collagen self-assembly kinetics and suggest new methods to study ECM characteristics through techniques like stiffness measurements and turbidity assays.
This paper describes an experimental characterization scheme of the biophysical properties of reconstituted hydrogel matrices based on indentation testing, quantification of transport via microfluidics, and confocal reflectance microscopy analysis. While methods for characterizing hydrogels exist and are widely used, they often do not measure diffusive and convective transport concurrently, determine the relationship between microstructure and transport properties, and decouple matrix mechanics and transport properties. Our integrated approach enabled independent and quantitative measurements of the structural, mechanical, and transport properties of hydrogels in a single study.
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