A Novel Device for the Microindentation of Soft Biomaterials With Application to Aortic Valve Leaflets

Microscale mechanical properties of soft biomaterials, such as heart valves, are of interest to researchers studying the effects of matrix mechanical properties on cell function. Measurements at the microscale, on the order of 1–500 μm, are representative of the mechanical properties experienced by the cells in their environment (1). In contrast, other methods like conventional tensile/compression testing and atomic force microscopy provide macroscale and nanoscale properties, respectively, that do not reflect the local micromechanical environment at the cellular scale.