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Microstructurally-based constitutive modelling of the skin – linking intrinsic ageing to microstructural parameters

Microstructurally-based constitutive modelling of the skin – linking intrinsic ageing to microstructural parameters
Microstructurally-based constitutive modelling of the skin – linking intrinsic ageing to microstructural parameters

A multiphasic constitutive model of the skin that implicitly accounts for the process of intrinsic (i.e. chronological) ageing via variation of the constitutive parameters is proposed. The structurally-motivated constitutive formulation features distinct mechanical contributions from collagen and elastin fibres. The central hypothesis underpinning this study is that the effects of ageing on the mechanical properties of the tissue are directly linked to alterations in the microstructural characteristics of the collagen and elastin networks. Constitutive parameters in the model, corresponding to different ages, are identified from published experimental data on bulge tests of human skin. The numerical results demonstrate that degradation of the elastin meshwork and variations in anisotropy of the collagen network are plausible mechanisms to explain ageing in terms of macroscopic tissue stiffening. Whereas alterations in elastin affect the low-modulus region of the skin stress-strain curve, those related to collagen have an impact on the linear region.

Anisotropy, Bulge test, Collagen, Continuum mechanics, Elastin, Finite element method, Microstructure, Soft tissue
0022-5193
108-123
Pond, D.
01df0dc6-df68-44bd-befa-ff73f550d45c
McBride, A.T.
2298dd52-643d-4b30-93be-f4319624eca8
Davids, L.M.
94f4feaa-bf57-420f-8adf-911159e29323
Reddy, B.D.
2ad242d6-688c-417d-ba3b-76184d7e2be6
Limbert, G.
a1b88cb4-c5d9-4c6e-b6c9-7f4c4aa1c2ec
Pond, D.
01df0dc6-df68-44bd-befa-ff73f550d45c
McBride, A.T.
2298dd52-643d-4b30-93be-f4319624eca8
Davids, L.M.
94f4feaa-bf57-420f-8adf-911159e29323
Reddy, B.D.
2ad242d6-688c-417d-ba3b-76184d7e2be6
Limbert, G.
a1b88cb4-c5d9-4c6e-b6c9-7f4c4aa1c2ec

Pond, D., McBride, A.T., Davids, L.M., Reddy, B.D. and Limbert, G. (2018) Microstructurally-based constitutive modelling of the skin – linking intrinsic ageing to microstructural parameters. Journal of Theoretical Biology, 444, 108-123. (doi:10.1016/j.jtbi.2018.01.014).

Record type: Article

Abstract

A multiphasic constitutive model of the skin that implicitly accounts for the process of intrinsic (i.e. chronological) ageing via variation of the constitutive parameters is proposed. The structurally-motivated constitutive formulation features distinct mechanical contributions from collagen and elastin fibres. The central hypothesis underpinning this study is that the effects of ageing on the mechanical properties of the tissue are directly linked to alterations in the microstructural characteristics of the collagen and elastin networks. Constitutive parameters in the model, corresponding to different ages, are identified from published experimental data on bulge tests of human skin. The numerical results demonstrate that degradation of the elastin meshwork and variations in anisotropy of the collagen network are plausible mechanisms to explain ageing in terms of macroscopic tissue stiffening. Whereas alterations in elastin affect the low-modulus region of the skin stress-strain curve, those related to collagen have an impact on the linear region.

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More information

Accepted/In Press date: 15 January 2018
e-pub ahead of print date: 31 January 2018
Published date: 7 May 2018
Keywords: Anisotropy, Bulge test, Collagen, Continuum mechanics, Elastin, Finite element method, Microstructure, Soft tissue

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 420402
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/420402
ISSN: 0022-5193
PURE UUID: dce8a372-255f-4e11-8b6e-6619673ffcb2

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 04 May 2018 16:31
Last modified: 05 Jun 2024 18:05

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Contributors

Author: D. Pond
Author: A.T. McBride
Author: L.M. Davids
Author: B.D. Reddy
Author: G. Limbert

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