title: Dynamic mechanical properties of porcine lacrimal canaliculus.
abstract: To better understand the mechanisms of tear drainage, the mechanical properties of porcine canaliculus were measured in compression mode while submerged in isotonic fluid by using a dynamic mechanical analyzer. The storage modulus (E') for the porcine canaliculus is about 3 kPa at 1 Hz and increases to about 5 kPa at 25 Hz. The loss modulus (E'') increases from about 0.8 kPa at 1 Hz to about 4.5 kPa at 25 Hz. The ratio of loss to storage moduli increases with frequency and is about 1 at 25 Hz, which is the relevant frequency during the blink phase. The moduli for 6- to 9-month pigs does not differ significantly from > 2-year-old pigs. The canalicular tissue relaxes at the same timescale as the pressure relaxes in a human canaliculi suggesting that the drainage of tears through the canaliculi is controlled by the mechanical properties of the canaliculi.
authors.affiliation: Chemical Engineering Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
authors.forename: Heng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Subir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bhatia
authors.forename: Anuj
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chauhan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001767:Blinking / Q000502:physiology; D004548:Elasticity; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007765:Lacrimal Apparatus / Q000502:physiology*; D012212:Rheology; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013552:Swine; D013666:Tears / Q000378:metabolism; D014783:Viscosity