A method to develop mock arteries suitable for cell seeding and in-vitro cell culture experiments

Sylgard® is a biocompatible elastomer which has been widely used in biomedical applications including in simulations of the mechanical response of soft tissues and mechanotransduction investigations. In this study the effect of fabrication parameters including base to curing agent ratio and curing time on the mechanical response of Sylgard® was investigated and a novel fabrication technique for the production of mock arteries with highly uniform thickness, which is essential for mechanotransduction studies, is described. Finally a method for the surface treatment of Sylgard® using sulphuric acid and fibronectin to enhance smooth muscle cell (SMC) adhesion is proposed and examined in vitro. Sylgard® mock coronary arteries fabricated using the proposed technique exhibited a mechanical response close to arterial tissue with cell adhesion enhanced using the surface treatment techniques described.