FIG. 4.
Stress–strain curves of freeze-dried scaffolds showing the mechanical response of the scaffolds (A) Decellularized scaffolds for Tf=−10°C produced a stiffer and less distensible response with an earlier than normal transition to the collagen region. Tf=−40°C displays a markedly different response with a large shift in the transition region of the graph extending the elastin dominant phase. SF Tf=−40°C matches closely the response of the non-freeze-dried scaffolds, particularly in the elastin dominant phase. (B) Customized scaffolds for Tf=−10°C produced a stiffer response with a much earlier transition region; similarly, for Tf=−40°C, an earlier transition region was seen with a less stiff collagen region. SF Tf=−40°C matched the response of the non-freeze-dried scaffolds for the elastin region, but an altered stiffer response was evident in the collagen phase.