Effects of collagenase and elastase on the mechanical properties of lung tissue strips

The dynamic stiffness (H), dampingcoefficient (G), and harmonic distortion (k_d)characterizing tissue nonlinearity of lung parenchymal strips fromguinea pigs were assessed before and after treatment with elastase orcollagenase between 0.1 and 3.74 Hz. After digestion, data wereobtained both at the same mean length and at the same mean force of thestrip as before digestion. At the same mean length, G and H decreasedby ~33% after elastase and by ~47% after collagenase treatment.At the same mean force, G and H increased by ~7% after elastase andby ~25% after collagenase treatment. The k_dincreased more after collagenase (40%) than after elastase (20%)treatment. These findings suggest that, after digestion, the fractionof intact fibers decreases, which, at the same mean length, leads to adecrease in moduli. At the same mean force, collagen fibers operate ata higher portion of their stress-strain curve, which results in anincrease in moduli. Also, G and H were coupled so that hysteresivity(G/H) did not change after treatments. However,k_d was decoupled from elasticity and wassensitive to stretching of collagen, which may be of value in detectingstructural alterations in the connective tissue of the lung.