Flexcell Strain Unit
Flexcell Strain Unit - Related Videos
02:58
Measurement of Compressive Stress-Strain Response at Small-Strains
0 Views •
2025
This protocol presents the configuration of a compression test device capable of precisely measuring the mechanical properties of microstructures in the small-strain region, along with a systematic method for compression testing using this device. The proposed device can be used to analyze various microstructures and the mechanical behavior of polymer-based materials.
03:38
Measurement: Standard Units
0 Views •
2020
Every measurement provides three kinds of information: the size or magnitude of the measurement (a number), a standard of comparison for the measurement (a unit), and an indication of the uncertainty of the measurement. While the number and unit are explicitly represented when a quantity is written, the uncertainty is an aspect of the errors in the measurement results. The number in the measurement can be represented in different ways, including decimal form and scientific notation, which is...
03:02
Measurement: Derived Units
0 Views •
2020
The International System of Units or SI system, by international agreement, has fixed measurement units for seven fundamental properties: length, mass, time, temperature, electric current, amount of substance, and luminosity. These are called the SI base units. Units of measurement derived from the mathematical combination of SI base units are called SI-derived units. For example, the ratio of the SI unit for distance (meter; m) and the SI unit for time (second; s) gives the SI-derived unit...
14:53
Stress-Strain Characteristics of Aluminum
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2023
Source: Roberto Leon, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA Aluminum is one of the most abundant materials in our lives, as it is omnipresent in everything from soda cans to airplane components. Its widespread use is relatively recent (1900AD), primarily because aluminum does not occur in its free state, but rather in combination with oxygen and other elements, often in the form of Al2O3. Aluminum was originally obtained from bauxite mineral deposits...
10:24
Quantitative Strain Mapping of an Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
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2023
Source: Hannah L. Cebull1, Arvin H. Soepriatna1, John J. Boyle2 and Craig J. Goergen1 1Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 2Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science, Washington University in St. Louis, St Louis, Missouri The mechanical behavior of soft tissues, such as blood vessels, skin, tendons, and other organs, are strongly influenced by their composition of elastin and collagen, which provide elasticity and strength. The fiber...
FAQs
Vacuum pressure beneath the plate pulls the flexible membrane downward, deforming the membrane and the attached cultured cell layer. This arrangement converts pressure into a controlled mechanical input that can be adjusted to create either cyclic or static strain. Because deformation is applied through the culture surface, investigators can relate a defined physical condition to subsequent cellular measurements.
The system can produce either cyclic or static strain, giving researchers two distinct mechanical conditions for comparison. Cyclic protocols examine cells exposed to repeated deformation, whereas static protocols maintain a defined deformation condition. Using adjustable strain patterns helps bioengineers investigate whether cellular morphology, gene expression, proliferation, or differentiation changes with the nature of the applied mechanical stimulus.
Experiments can assess changes in cell morphology, gene expression, proliferation, and differentiation after mechanical loading. Morphology reveals structural responses, while gene expression can indicate altered cellular programs. Measurements of proliferation and differentiation show whether the imposed strain affects cell growth or developmental behavior, connecting the physical treatment to outcomes relevant to engineered tissues and mechanobiology.
The flexible membrane serves as the deformable culture surface to which the cell layer attaches. When vacuum pressure changes the membrane’s shape, the attached cells experience the resulting mechanical deformation rather than merely receiving an indirect signal from the surrounding apparatus. This configuration makes it possible to expose cultured cells to controlled strain under adjustable experimental conditions.
A typical workflow places cultured cells on the flexible-bottom region of a culture plate, establishes the desired vacuum-driven deformation, and applies either cyclic or static strain under adjustable conditions. Researchers then examine cellular outcomes such as morphology, gene expression, proliferation, or differentiation. The workflow links a defined mechanical exposure with measurable biological responses.
Researchers can use the system when they need to evaluate how cells respond to mechanical conditions relevant to tissue development or biomaterial performance. In bioengineering, it supports biomaterial evaluation and the design of engineered tissues by revealing how strain influences cellular behavior. These findings can also inform therapeutic strategies involving mechanically responsive tissues or cells.
The device can model mechanical environments associated with muscle, bone, blood vessels, and lungs. These applications allow investigators to study how cells from different tissue contexts respond to controlled deformation and to compare resulting changes in morphology, gene expression, proliferation, or differentiation. Such comparisons provide bioengineering context for tissue design and mechanobiology research.