Mechanochemical aspects of skin wound healing in microgravity. (March 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Swain, Digendranath; Gupta, Anurag
• Is Part Of: Mechanics research communications. Volume 96(2019)
• Page Start: 87
• Page End: 93
• Publication Date: 2019-03
• Subjects: Skin wound healing -- Microgravity -- Residual stress -- Interfacial growth -- Wrinkling -- Nutrient chemistry; Mechanics, Applied -- Periodicals; Mécanique appliquée -- Périodiques; Mechanics, Applied; Periodicals; 530
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mechrescom.2019.03.005
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0093-6413

Abstract

Highlights: A novel biomechanical-chemical model to understand wound healing in microgravity. Incorporation of nutrient chemistry and microgravity effects in a biomechanical growth model. Generation of residual stress, nutrient concentration distribution, and wrinkling. A novel free energy density with couples elasticity, chemical energy, and microgravity. Abstract: A coupled biomechanical-chemical growth model is proposed to study regeneration of residual stresses and appearance of wrinkling during cutaneous wound healing in a microgravity environment. A novel free energy density is introduced which couples mechanics, nutrient chemistry, and microgravity, assuming both skin and wound to be nonlinear elastic membranes. A simple boundary-value-problem is formulated and solved to obtain quantitative results on effects due to short-term and long-term microgravity exposure on stress generation and wrinkle formation, while emphasizing the interplay between elasticity, nutrient concentration, and microgravity.