. 2012 Feb 17;18(6):433–443. doi: 10.1089/ten.tec.2011.0509

Table 3.

Multiexponential T₂ Analysis of Tissue-Engineered Constructs Showing the Mean T₂ Values and Fraction Sizes of Each Water Compartment for Each Time Point

	T₂(ms)			Weight fraction of water
Culture time	T₂₁	T₂₂	T₂₃	w₁	w₂	w₃
Week 1	42.8±6.4	230.6±11.9	580.1±63.9	0.022±0.005	0.032±0.008	0.923±0.014
Week 2	44.9±2.8	174.2±18.5^a	485.2±8.1^a	0.028±0.002^a	0.033±0.007	0.911±0.023
Week 3	45.5±3.5	160.5±15.7^a	480.3±17.0^a	0.024±0.004	0.039±0.014	0.904±0.007
Week 4	45.2±3.9	180.6±19.8^a	448.7±22.4^a,b,c	0.037±0.003^a,b,c	0.073±0.010^a,b,c	0.873±0.016^a,b,c

The most slowly relaxing compartment, T₂₃, and its associated fraction, w₃, were assigned to the bulk water compartment. T₂₂ (with component fraction w₂) and T₂₁ (with component fraction w₁) were assigned to proteoglycan-bound water. In general, w₃ decreased while w₂ and w₁ increased with maturation, particularly at the end of the culture period.

^{^a}

Indicates significant difference from week 1; p<0.05.

^{^b}

Indicates significant difference from week 2; p<0.05.

^{^c}

Indicates significant difference from week 3; p<0.05.