Fig. 5.

Incremental uniaxial loading tests. Compression tests: A) Mach-1 micromechanical tester (Biomomentum Inc.) used for testing cylindrical collagen-based samples in compression [74]. Tensile, stress relaxation, and creep tests: B) Cellularized collagen gels were tested in the longitudinal direction using a tubular specimen attached in cylindrical grips [75]; C) Tensile tester (Instron E-1000) adapted for testing a ring specimen produced by the self-assembled method [60]; D) Carotid artery rings were cut radially and tested circumferentially in tension, initial failure occurred in the media layer followed by the adventitia [76]; E) Cellularized collagen-fibrin hydrogel were radially and longitudinally tested using ring specimens, samples were approximately 5 times stronger in the radial direction [77]; F) Tensile tester (MTS Insight®) coupled with a Laser Speckle extensometer connected to a PC video processor that measures the movement of the sample via two video-cameras. The instrument was used for testing samples from porcine carotid and thoracic arteries [78]. Reproduced from the indicated references with permission from the publishers.