Measuring the biomechanical properties of the mouse sclera is of great interest, since altered scleral properties are features of many common ocular pathologies, and the mouse is a powerful species for studying genetic factors in disease. Here, a poroelastic material model is used to analyze data from unconfined compression testing of both pig and mouse sclera, and the tensile modulus, compressive modulus, and permeability of the sclera are obtained at three levels of compressive strain. Values for all three properties measured simultaneously by unconfined compression of pig sclera were comparable to previously reported values measured by tests specific for each property, i.e., compression tests, biaxial tensile tests, and falling-head permeability assays. The repeatability of the approach was evaluated using test-retest experimental paradigm on pig sclera. Repeatability was low for measured compressive stiffness, indicating permanent changes to the samples occurring after the first test. However, reasonable repeatability for tensile stiffness and permeability was observed. The intrinsic material properties of the mouse sclera were measured for the first time. Tensile stiffness and permeability of the sclera in both species were seen to be dependent on the state of compressive strain. We conclude that unconfined compression testing of sclera, when analyzed with poroelastic theory, can be used as a powerful tool to phenotype mouse scleral changes in future genotype-phenotype association studies.

中文翻译：

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表征巩膜的拉伸，压缩和水力特性的双相方法

测量小鼠巩膜的生物力学特性引起人们极大的兴趣，因为巩膜特性的改变是许多常见眼病的特征，并且小鼠是研究疾病遗传因素的有力物种。在这里，使用多孔弹性材料模型分析来自猪和小鼠巩膜的无侧限压缩测试的数据，并在三个水平的压缩应变下获得了巩膜的拉伸模量，压缩模量和渗透性。通过无限制压缩猪巩膜同时测量的所有三个特性的值与先前报告的通过针对每种特性的特定测试（即压缩测试，双轴拉伸测试和落头式渗透性测定）测得的值相当。该方法的可重复性使用猪巩膜的重测实验范式进行了评估。测得的压缩刚度的可重复性低，表明样品在第一次测试后发生永久性变化。但是，观察到拉伸强度和渗透性的合理重复性。首次测量了小鼠巩膜的内在物质特性。两种物种的巩膜的拉伸刚度和渗透性都取决于压缩应变的状态。我们得出的结论是，当用多孔弹性理论分析巩膜的无侧限压缩测试时，可以用作在将来的基因型-表型关联研究中表型小鼠巩膜变化的有力工具。表明在第一次测试后样品发生了永久性变化。但是，观察到拉伸强度和渗透性的合理重复性。首次测量了小鼠巩膜的内在物质特性。两种物种的巩膜的拉伸刚度和渗透性都取决于压缩应变的状态。我们得出的结论是，当用多孔弹性理论分析巩膜的无侧限压缩测试时，可以用作在将来的基因型-表型关联研究中表型小鼠巩膜变化的有力工具。表明在第一次测试后样品发生了永久性变化。但是，观察到拉伸强度和渗透性的合理重复性。首次测量了小鼠巩膜的内在物质特性。两种物种的巩膜的拉伸刚度和渗透性都取决于压缩应变的状态。我们得出的结论是，当用多孔弹性理论分析巩膜的无侧限压缩测试时，可以用作在未来基因型-表型关联研究中表型小鼠巩膜变化的有力工具。两种物种的巩膜的拉伸刚度和渗透性都取决于压缩应变的状态。我们得出的结论是，当用多孔弹性理论分析巩膜的无侧限压缩测试时，可以用作在未来基因型-表型关联研究中表型小鼠巩膜变化的有力工具。在两个物种中，巩膜的拉伸刚度和渗透性都取决于压缩应变的状态。我们得出的结论是，当用多孔弹性理论分析巩膜的无侧限压缩测试时，可以用作在将来的基因型-表型关联研究中表型小鼠巩膜变化的有力工具。