Allometric scaling of skin thickness, elasticity, viscoelasticity to mass for micro-medical device translation:From mice, rats, rabbits, pigs to humans

Abstract Emerging micro-scale medical devices are showing promise, whether in delivering drugs or extracting diagnostic biomarkers from skin. In progressing these devices through animal models towards clinical products, understanding the mechanical properties and skin tissue structure with which they interact will be important. Here, through measurement and analytical modelling, we advanced knowledge of these properties for commonly used laboratory animals and humans (~30 g to ~150 kg). We hypothesised that skin’s stiffness is a function of the thickness of its layers through allometric scaling, which could be estimated from knowing a species’ body mass. Results suggest that skin layer thicknesses are proportional to body mass with similar composition ratios, inter- and intra-species. Experimental trends showed elastic moduli increased with body mass, except for human skin. To interpret the relationship between species, we developed a simple analytical model for the bulk elastic moduli of skin, which correlated well with experimental data. Our model suggest that layer thicknesses may be a key driver of structural stiffness, as the skin layer constituents are physically and therefore mechanically similar between species. Our findings help advance the knowledge of mammalian skin mechanical properties, providing a route towards streamlined micro-device research and development onto clinical use

Particle Cassette, Method and Kit Therefor

A particle cassette for a needleless syringe is provided, the manufacture of which avoids the potentially detrimental use of heat when affixing a final membrane to the cassette or otherwise sealing the cassette after a filling procedure has been carried out. The particle cassette is assembled using first and second cassette parts that are attachable together so as to create a chamber for the confinement of particles between two membranes. A third cassette part may be used to provide for a locking attachment of the first and second parts. A kit of parts for use in the manufacture of a particle cassette is also provided, as is a method of assembling a particle cassette. In certain cassette embodiments, one or both of the first and second cassette parts can be annular, tapered and/or have detents or recesses to provide for a snap fit

In vivo, in situ and ex vivo comparison of porcine skin for microprojection array penetration depth, delivery efficiency and elastic modulus assessment

With the development of wearable technologies, the interfacial properties of skin and devices have become much more important. For research and development purposes, porcine skin is often used to evaluate device performance, but the differences between in vivo, in situ and ex vivo porcine skin mechanical properties can potentially misdirect investigators during the development of their technology. In this study, we investigated the significant changes to mechanical properties with and without perfusion (in vivo versus in vitro tissue). The device focus for this study was a skin-targeting Nanopatch vaccine microneedle device, employed to assess the variance to key skin engagement parameters – penetration depth and delivery efficiency – due to different tissue conditions. The patches were coated with fluorescent or 14C radiolabelled formulations for penetration depth and delivery efficiency quantification in vivo, and at time points up to 4 h post mortem. An immediate cessation of blood circulation saw mean microneedle penetration depth fell from ∼100 μm to ∼55 μm (∼45%). Stiffening of underlying tissues as a result of rigor mortis then augmented the penetration depths at the 4 h timepoint back to ∼100 μm, insignificantly different (p = 0.0595) when compared with in vivo. The highest delivery efficiency of formulation into the skin (dose measured in the skin excluding leftover dose on skin and patch surfaces) was also observed at this time point of ∼25%, up from ∼2% in vivo. Data obtained herein progresses medical device development, highlighting the need to consider the state and muscle tissues when evaluating prototypes on cadavers.Medical Instruments & Bio-Inspired Technolog

The changing shape of vaccination: Improving immune responses through geometrical variations of a microdevice for immunization

Micro-device use for vaccination has grown in the past decade, with the promise of ease-of-use, painless application, stable solid formulations and greater immune response generation. However, the designs of the highly immunogenic devices (e.g. the gene gun, Nanopatch or laser adjuvantation) require significant energy to enter the skin (30-90 mJ). Within this study, we explore a way to more effectively use energy for skin penetration and vaccination. These modifications change the Nanopatch projections from cylindrical/conical shapes with a density of 20,000 per cm to flat-shaped protrusions at 8,000 per cm, whilst maintaining the surface area and volume that is placed within the skin. We show that this design results in more efficient surface crack initiations, allowing the energy to be more efficiently be deployed through the projections into the skin, with a significant overall increase in penetration depth (50%). Furthermore, we measured a significant increase in localized skin cell death (>2 fold), and resultant infiltrate of cells (monocytes and neutrophils). Using a commercial seasonal trivalent human influenza vaccine (Fluvax 2014), our new patch design resulted in an immune response equivalent to intramuscular injection with approximately 1000 fold less dose, while also being a practical device conceptually suited to widespread vaccination