The Role of Cells in Collagen Modeling in Tissue Engineered Constructs: A Theoretical Framework

Mechanical loading protocols in tissue engineering (TE) aim to improve the deposition of a properly organized collagen fiber network. These conditioning protocols can result in tissue compaction [1], which may lead to loss of functionality of the tissue construct. A balance between the collagen deposition and compaction is desirable, yet difficult to achieve, due to the nonlinear coupling between mechanical loading, collagen modeling and compaction.Copyright © 2011 by ASME