Table 1.

Tissue Cross-Linking Process

1.	30 mM EDC and 6 mM NHS in 0.05 M MES (pH 5.5)	for 3 days at RT	→
	EDC/NHS+75% ethanol+5% octanol	for 2 days at RT	→	0.1 M glycine for 1 day at 37°C
2.	0.06 M poly(propylene glycol) bis 2-(aminopropyl) ether (Jeffamine) in 0.25 M MES (pH 5)	for 1 day at RT	→	EDC and NHS (group 1)
3.	30 g acrylamide/bisacrylamide, 37:1 ratio and 0.4 % (w/w) DMPA in 0.01 M PBS (pH 7.4)	for 1 days at RT	→	EDC and NHS (group 1)
4.	50% PEG (1000 MW) in 0.01 M PBS (pH 7.4)	for 1 day at RT	→	EDC and NHS (group 1)
5.	0.25% GA in 0.05 M HEPES (pH 7.4)	for 3 days at RT	→
	0.25% GA + 75% ethanol + 5% octanol	for 2 days at RT	→
	0.25% GA	for 1 week at RT	→	0.1 M glycine for 1 day at 37°C
6.	0.06 M Jeffamine in 0.25 M MES (pH 5)	for 1 day at RT	→	GA fixation (group 5)
7.	30 g acrylamide/bisacrylamide, 37:1 ratio and 0.4 % (w/w) DMPA in 0.01 M PBS (pH 7.4)	for 1 day at RT	→	GA fixation (group 5)
8.	50% PEG (1000 MW) in 0.01 M PBS (pH 7.4)	for 1 day at RT	→	GA fixation (group 5)
9.	0.3% genipin in 0.01 M PBS (pH 7.4)	for 3 days at RT	→
	0.3% genipin + 75% ethanol + 5% octanol	for 2 days at RT	→	0.1 M glycine for 1 day at 37°C
10.	0.06 M Jeffamine in 0.25 M MES (pH 5)	for 1 days at RT	→	genipin fixation (group 9)
11.	30 g acrylamide/bisacrylamide, 37:1 ratio and 0.4 mass% DMPA in 0.01 M PBS (pH 7.4)	for 1 day at RT	→	genipin fixation (group 9)
12.	50% PEG (1000 MW) in 0.01 M PBS (pH 7.4)	for 1 day at RT	→	genipin fixation (group 9)
13.	Control

EDC, 1-(3-dimethyl aminopropyl)-3-ethyl carbodiimide; NHS, N-hydroxysuccinimide; MES, MES hydrate; RT, room temperature; DMPA, 2,2-bis(hydroxymethyl)propionic acid; PBS, phosphate-buffered saline; PEG, polyethylene glycol; GA, glutaraldehyde.