Table 2. Mesh Size of In Vitro and Ex Vivo 20 Wt % 4APM-HAFU Hydrogels as Determined by Rheological and Mechanical Measurementsa.
| gel samples | G′ (kPa) | E (kPa) | mesh size (nm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| in vitro ratio (1:2) | 32 ± 3 | 79 ± 4 | 5.1 |
| in vitro ratio (1:5) | 62.4 ± 4 | 165 ± 3 | 3.9 |
| ex vivo ratio (1:2) | b10.5 | 26 ± 2 | 7.4 |
| ex vivo ratio (1:5) | b20 | 50 ± 3 | 5.9 |
a
The E values of ex vivo formed hydrogels were determined as n = 6 using two porcine eyeballs, while the E values of the in vitro produced hydrogels are presented as the mean of n = 3 independent experiments using DMA. The G′ value of the in vitro gel was obtained from the mean of the plateau region of a time sweep curve measured at a frequency of 1 Hz and a strain of 0.1%.
b
Determined from the experimentally obtained E divided by 2.5.