Surface viscometry of an evaporating droplet containing a protein (collagen) as a function of time and depth

• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2047/D20195404

There is a need for tissue engineers to recreate extracellular matrix that mimics the highly organized extracellular structures as seen in vivo. In a previous study in the extracellular matrix engineering research laboratory (EMERL), a micromechanical system was used to create such structures by drawing fibers from a droplet of neutralized collagen monomers at room temperature. For further investigation in the formation of highly aligned and continuous fibers, the laboratory is interested in developing a more effective experimental procedure. Therefore, to supply the proper concentration of collagen monomers for a collagen fiber printing device, a good estimate of the collagen concentration in the droplet surface is required. The goal of this study was to measure the concentration variation as a function of thickness in the dense layer on the droplet's top surface when a fiber can be created.