Abstract:

Objective　To explore the relationship between the gender and the elastic modulus of the hepatic artery of pigs and to provide theoretical basis for pig-to-human transplantation.　Methods　The hepatic artery of female, male and gonadectomized 23 Hubei white pigs aged between 4 and 7 months were obtained, and then, the arteries were divided into the upper, middle and lower segments, kept at 4℃. The pressure-diameter relationship of the middle segment was measured on the biomechanical testing system for soft tissues, and the elastic modulus was calculated, including press strain elastic modulus (Ep), incremental elastic modulus (Einc), and volume elastic modulus (Ev).　Results　The difference of hepatic arterial elastic modulus among female, male and gonadectomized groups was significant (P＜0.01), with the lowest of female group, the highest of gonadectomized group and the middle of male group. The hepatic arterial elastic modulus in all groups aged 7 months was lower than that in all groups aged 4 months, and the difference was significant (P＜0.05).　Conclusions　There is the sex difference of the hepatic arterial elastic modulus in all pigs aged 7 months, which suggests that gender mathching pig liver should be selected as the donor organs, for keeping the same elastic modulus between the donor and receptor and reduce the hepatic arterial complications after liver xenotransplantation.

Key words: Pig, Hepatic artery, Elastic modulus, Biomechanics, Xenotransplantation