Open Access

ARTICLE

Characterizing the Mechanical Variations of Human Femoropopliteal Artery During Aging Process

Shaoxiong Yang¹, Yingxin Qi², Zonglai Jiang², Xiaobo Gong^1,*

1 Key Laboratory of Hydrodynamics (Ministry of Education), Department of Engineering Mechanics, School of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Civil Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai , 200240, China.
2 Institute of Mechanobiology and Biomedical Engineering, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China.

* Corresponding Author: Xiaobo Gong. Email: .

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics 2019, 16(1), 13-26. https://doi.org/10.32604/mcb.2019.06096

Abstract

Vascular diseases during aging process are closely correlated to the age-related changes of mechanical stimuli for resident cells. Characterizing the variations of mechanical environments in vessel walls with advancing age is crucial for a better understanding of vascular remodeling and pathological changes. In this study, the mechanical stress, strain, and wall stiffness of the femoropopliteal arteries (FPAs) were compared among four different age groups from adolescent to young, middle-aged, and aged subjects. The material parameters and geometries adopted in the FPA models were obtained from published experimental results. It is found that high mechanical stress appears at different layers in young and old FPA walls respectively. The characteristics of the middle-aged FPA wall suggests that it is the most capable of resisting high blood pressures and maintaining a mechanical homeostasis during the entire life span. It is demonstrated that the variations of stress and strain rather than that of wall stiffness can be used as an indicator to illustrate the profile of FPA aging. Our results could serve as an age-specific mechanical reference for vascular mechanobiological studies, and allow further exploration of cellular dysfunctions in vessel walls during aging process.

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