Stimulation of adipogenesis of adult adipose-derived stem cells using substrates that mimic the stiffness of adipose tissue

Biochemical and biomechanical extracellular matrix (ECM) cues have recently been shown to play a role in stimulating stem cell differentiation towards several lineages, though how they combine to induce adipogenesis has been less well studied. The objective of this study was to recapitulate both the ECM composition and mechanical properties of adipose tissue in vitro to stimulate adipogenesis of human adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) in the absence of exogenous adipogenic growth factors and small molecules. Adipose specific ECM biochemical cues have been previously shown to influence adipogenic differentiation; however, the ability of biomechanical cues to promote adipogenesis has been less defined. Decellularized human lipoaspirate was used to functionalize polyacrylamide gels of varying stiffness to allow the cells to interact with adipose-specific ECM components. Culturing ASCs on gels that mimicked the native stiffness of adipose tissue (2 kPa) significantly upregulated adipogenic markers, in the absence of exogenous adipogenic growth factors and small molecules. As substrate stiffness increased, the cells became more spread, lost their rounded morphology, and failed to upregulate adipogenic markers. Together these data imply that as with other lineages, mechanical cues are capable of regulating adipogenesis in ASCs.

Fixation of Bovine Pericardium-Based Tissue Biomaterial with Irreversible Chemistry Improves Biochemical and Biomechanical Properties

Bioprosthetic heart valves (BHVs), derived from glutaraldehyde crosslinked (GLUT) porcine aortic valve leaflets or bovine pericardium (BP), are used to replace defective heart valves. However, valve failure can occur within 12-15 years due to calcification and/or progressive structural degeneration. We present a novel fabrication method that utilizes carbodiimide, neomycin trisulfate, and pentagalloyl glucose crosslinking chemistry (TRI) to better stabilize the extracellular matrix of BP. We demonstrate that TRI-treated BP is more compliant than GLUT-treated BP. GLUT-treated BP exhibited permanent geometric deformation and complete alteration of apparent mechanical properties when subjected to induced static strain. TRI BP, on the other hand, did not exhibit such permanent geometric deformations or significant alterations of apparent mechanical properties. TRI BP also exhibited better resistance to enzymatic degradation in vitro and calcification in vivo when implanted subcutaneously in juvenile rats for up to 30 days.

Engineering functional anisotropy in fibrocartilage neotissues

The knee meniscus, intervertebral disc, and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disc all possess complex geometric shapes and anisotropic matrix organization. While these characteristics are imperative for proper tissue function, they are seldom recapitulated following injury or disease. Thus, this study's objective was to engineer fibrocartilages that capture both gross and molecular structural features of native tissues. Self-assembled TMJ discs were selected as the model system, as the disc exhibits a unique biconcave shape and functional anisotropy. To drive anisotropy, 50:50 co-cultures of meniscus cells and articular chondrocytes were grown in biconcave, TMJ-shaped molds and treated with two exogenous stimuli: biomechanical (BM) stimulation via passive axial compression and bioactive agent (BA) stimulation via chondroitinase-ABC and transforming growth factor-β1. BM + BA synergistically increased Col/WW, Young's modulus, and ultimate tensile strength 5.8-fold, 14.7-fold, and 13.8-fold that of controls, respectively; it also promoted collagen fibril alignment akin to native tissue. Finite element analysis found BM stimulation to create direction-dependent strains within the neotissue, suggesting shape plays an essential role toward driving in vitro anisotropic neotissue development. Methods used in this study offer insight on the ability to achieve physiologic anisotropy in biomaterials through the strategic application of spatial, biomechanical, and biochemical cues.

Soft Tissue Phantoms for Realistic Needle Insertion: A Comparative Study

Phantoms are common substitutes for soft tissues in biomechanical research and are usually tuned to match tissue properties using standard testing protocols at small strains. However, the response due to complex tool-tissue interactions can differ depending on the phantom and no comprehensive comparative study has been published to date, which could aid researchers to select suitable materials. In this work, gelatin, a common phantom in literature, and a composite hydrogel developed at Imperial College, were matched for mechanical stiffness to porcine brain, and the interactions during needle insertions within them were analyzed. Specifically, we examined insertion forces for brain and the phantoms; we also measured displacements and strains within the phantoms via a laser-based image correlation technique in combination with fluorescent beads. It is shown that the insertion forces for gelatin and brain agree closely, but that the composite hydrogel better mimics the viscous nature of soft tissue. Both materials match different characteristics of brain, but neither of them is a perfect substitute. Thus, when selecting a phantom material, both the soft tissue properties and the complex tool-tissue interactions arising during tissue manipulation should be taken into consideration. These conclusions are presented in tabular form to aid future selection.

Force-driven evolution of mesoscale structure in engineered 3D microtissues and the modulation of tissue stiffening

The complex structures of tissues determine their mechanical strength. In engineered tissues formed through self-assembly in a mold, artificially imposed boundary constraints have been found to induce anisotropic clustering of the cells and the extracellular matrix in local regions. To understand how such tissue remodeling at the intermediate length-scale (mesoscale) affects tissue stiffening, we used a novel microtissue mechanical testing system to manipulate the remodeling of the tissue structures and to measure the subsequent changes in tissue stiffness. Microtissues were formed through cell driven self-assembly of collagen matrix in arrays of micro-patterned wells, each containing two flexible micropillars that measured the microtissues' contractile forces and elastic moduli via magnetic actuation. We manipulated tissue remodeling by inducing myofibroblast differentiation with TGF-β1, by varying the micropillar spring constants or by blocking cell contractility with blebbistatin and collagen cross-linking with BAPN. We showed that increased anisotropic compaction of the collagen matrix, caused by increased micropillar spring constant or elevated cell contraction force, contributed to tissue stiffening. Conversely, collagen matrix and tissue stiffness were not affected by inhibition of cell-generated contraction forces. Together, these measurements showed that mesoscale tissue remodeling is an important middle step linking tissue compaction forces and tissue stiffening.

Cell sheet mechanics: How geometrical constraints induce the detachment of cell sheets from concave surfaces

Despite of the progress made to engineer structured microtissues such as BioMEMS and 3D bioprinting, little control exists how microtissues transform as they mature, as the misbalance between cell-generated forces and the strength of cell-cell and cell-substrate contacts can result in unintended tissue deformations and ruptures. To develop a quantitative perspective on how cellular contractility, scaffold curvature and cell-substrate adhesion control such rupture processes, human aortic smooth muscle cells were grown on glass substrates with submillimeter semichannels. We quantified cell sheet detachment from 3D confocal image stacks as a function of channel curvature and cell sheet tension by adding different amounts of Blebbistatin and TGF-β to inhibit or enhance cell contractility, respectively. We found that both higher curvature and higher contractility increased the detachment probability. Variations of the adhesive strength of the protein coating on the substrate revealed that the rupture plane was localized along the substrate-extracellular matrix interface for non-covalently adsorbed adhesion proteins, while the collagen-integrin interface ruptured when collagen I was covalently crosslinked to the substrate. Finally, a simple mechanical model is introduced that quantitatively explains how the tuning of substrate curvature, cell sheet contractility and adhesive strength can be used as tunable parameters as summarized in a first semi-quantitative phase diagram. These parameters can thus be exploited to either inhibit or purposefully induce a collective detachment of sheet-like microtissues for the use in tissue engineering and regenerative therapies.

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

Despite of the significant progress in 3D tissue fabrication technologies at the microscale, there is still no quantitative model that can predict if cells seeded on a 3D structure maintain the imposed geometry while they form a continuous microtissue. Especially, detachment or loss of shape control of growing tissue is a major concern when designing 3D-structured scaffolds. Utilizing semi-cylindrical channels and vascular smooth muscle cells, we characterized how geometrical and mechanical parameters such as curvature of the substrate, cellular contractility, or protein-substrate adhesion strength tune the catastrophic detachment of microtissue. Observed results were rationalized by a theoretical model. The phase diagram showing how unintended tissue detachment progresses would help in designing of mechanically-balanced 3D scaffolds in future tissue engineering applications.

Controlled surface topography regulates collective 3D migration by epithelial-mesenchymal composite embryonic tissues

Cells in tissues encounter a range of physical cues as they migrate. Probing single cell and collective migratory responses to physically defined three-dimensional (3D) microenvironments and the factors that modulate those responses are critical to understanding how tissue migration is regulated during development, regeneration, and cancer. One key physical factor that regulates cell migration is topography. Most studies on surface topography and cell mechanics have been carried out with single migratory cells, yet little is known about the spreading and motility response of 3D complex multi-cellular tissues to topographical cues. Here, we examine the response to complex topographical cues of microsurgically isolated tissue explants composed of epithelial and mesenchymal cell layers from naturally 3D organized embryos of the aquatic frog Xenopus laevis. We control topography using fabricated micropost arrays (MPAs) and investigate the collective 3D migration of these multi-cellular systems in these MPAs. We find that the topography regulates both collective and individual cell migration and that dense MPAs reduce but do not eliminate tissue spreading. By modulating cell size through the cell cycle inhibitor Mitomycin C or the spacing of the MPAs we uncover how 3D topographical cues disrupt collective cell migration. We find surface topography can direct both single cell motility and tissue spreading, altering tissue-scale processes that enable efficient conversion of single cell motility into collective movement.

A 3D printed mechanical bioreactor for investigating mechanobiology and soft tissue mechanics

Mechanical loading is an important cue for directing stem cell fate and engineered tissue formation in vitro. Stem cells cultured on 2-dimensional (D) substrates and in 3D scaffolds have been shown to differentiate toward bone, tendon, cartilage, ligament, and skeletal muscle lineages depending on their exposure to mechanical stimuli. To apply this mechanical stimulus in vitro, mechanical bioreactors are needed. However, current bioreactor systems are challenged by their high cost, limited ability for customization, and lack of force measurement capabilities. We demonstrate the use of 3-dimensional printing (3DP) technology to design and fabricate a low-cost custom bioreactor system that can be used to apply controlled mechanical stimuli to cells in culture and measure the mechanical properties of small soft tissues. The results of our in vitro studies and mechanical evaluations show that 3DP technology is feasible as a platform for developing a low-cost, customizable, and multifunctional mechanical bioreactor system. • 3DP technology was used to print a multifunctional bioreactor system/tensile load frame for a fraction of the cost of commercial systems. • The system mechanically stimulated cells in culture and evaluated the mechanical properties of soft tissues. • This system is easily customizable and can be used to evaluate multiple types of soft tissues.

A mechanical microconnector system for restoration of tissue continuity and long-term drug application into the injured spinal cord

Complete transection of the spinal cord leaves a gap of several mm which fills with fibrous scar tissue. Several approaches in rodent models have used tubes, foams, matrices or tissue implants to bridge this gap. Here, we describe a mechanical microconnector system (mMS) to re-adjust the retracted spinal cord stumps. The mMS is a multi-channel system of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), designed to fit into the spinal cord tissue gap after transection, with an outlet tubing system to apply negative pressure to the mMS thus sucking the spinal cord stumps into the honeycomb-structured holes. The stumps adhere to the microstructure of the mMS walls and remain in the mMS after removal of the vacuum. We show that the mMS preserves tissue integrity and allows axonal regrowth at 2, 5 and 19 weeks post lesion with no adverse tissue effects like in-bleeding or cyst formation. Preliminary assessment of locomotor function in the open field suggested beneficial effects of the mMS. Additional inner micro-channels enable local substance delivery into the lesion center via an attached osmotic minipump. We suggest that the mMS is a suitable device to adapt and stabilize the injured spinal cord after surgical resection of scar tissue (e.g., for chronic patients) or traumatic injuries with large tissue and bone damages.

Estimation of the Young's moduli of fresh human oropharyngeal soft tissues using indentation testing

Finite element (FE)-based biomechanical simulations of the upper airway are promising computational tools to study abnormal upper airway deformations under obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) conditions and to help guide minimally invasive surgical interventions in case of upper airway collapse. To this end, passive biomechanical properties of the upper airway tissues, especially oropharyngeal soft tissues, are indispensable. This research aimed at characterizing the linear elastic mechanical properties of the oropharyngeal soft tissues including palatine tonsil, soft palate, uvula, and tongue base. For this purpose, precise indentation experiments were conducted on freshly harvested human tissue samples accompanied by FE-based inversion schemes. To minimize the impact of the probable nonlinearities of the tested tissue samples, only the first quarter of the measured force-displacement data corresponding to the linear elastic regime was utilized in the FE-based inversion scheme to improve the accuracy of the tissue samples' Young's modulus calculations. Measured Young's moduli of the oropharyngeal soft tissues obtained in this study are presented. They include first estimates for palatine tonsil tissue samples while measured Young's moduli of other upper airway tissues were obtained for the first time using fresh human tissue samples.

In vivo posterior cruciate ligament elongation in running activity after anatomic and non-anatomic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

PURPOSE

The goals of this study were to (1) investigate the in vivo elongation behaviour of the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) during running in the uninjured knee and (2) evaluate changes in PCL elongation during running after anatomic or non-anatomic anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction.

METHODS

Seventeen unilateral ACL-injured subjects were recruited after undergoing anatomic (n = 9) or non-anatomic (n = 8) ACL reconstruction. Bilateral high-resolution CT scans were obtained to produce 3D models. Anterolateral (AL) and posteromedial (PM) bundles insertion sites of the PCL were identified on the 3D CT scan reconstructions. Dynamic knee function was assessed during running using a dynamic stereo X-ray (DSX) system. The lengths of the AL and PM bundles were estimated from late swing through mid-stance. The contralateral knees served as normal controls.

RESULTS

Control knees demonstrated a slight decrease in AL bundle and a significant decrease in PM bundle length following foot strike. Length and elongation patterns of the both bundles of the PCL in the anatomic ACL reconstruction group were similar to the controls. However, the change in dynamic PCL length was significantly greater in the non-anatomic group than in the anatomic reconstruction group after foot strike (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The AL bundle length decreased slightly, and the PM bundle length significantly decreased after foot strike during running in uninjured knees. Anatomic ACL reconstruction maintained normal PCL elongation patterns more effectively than non-anatomic ACL reconstruction during high-demand, functional loading. These results support the use of anatomic ACL reconstruction to achieve normal knee function in high-demand activities.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Case-control study, Level III.

How cosmetic tightening products modulate the biomechanics and morphology of human skin

The active and passive mechanical behavior of a cosmetic tightening product for skin anti-aging is investigated based on a wide range of in vivo and in vitro measurements. The experimental data are used to inform a numerical model of the attained cosmetic effect, which is then implemented in a commercial finite-element framework and used to analyze the mechanisms that regulate the biomechanical interaction between the native tissue and the tightening film. Such a film reduces wrinkles and enhances skin consistency by increasing its stiffness by 48-107% and reducing inelastic, non-recoverable deformations (-47%). The substrate deformability influences both the extent of tightening and the reduction of wrinkle amplitude. The present findings allow, for the first time, to rationalize the mechanisms of action of cosmetic products with a tightening action and provide quantitative evidence for further optimization of this fascinating class of biomaterials.

Remodeling of extracellular matrix in the urinary bladder of paraplegic rats results in increased compliance and delayed fiber recruitment 16 weeks after spinal cord injury

The ability of the urinary bladder to maintain low intravesical pressures while storing urine is key in ensuring proper organ function and highlights the key role that tissue mechanics plays in the lower urinary tract. Loss of supraspinal neuronal connections to the bladder after spinal cord injury can lead to remodeling of the structure of the bladder wall, which may alter its mechanical characteristics. In this study, we investigate if the morphology and mechanical properties of the bladder extracellular matrix are altered in rats 16 weeks after spinal cord injury as compared to animals who underwent sham surgery. We measured and quantified the changes in bladder geometry and mechanical behavior using histological analysis, tensile testing, and constitutive modeling. Our results suggest bladder compliance is increased in paraplegic animals 16 weeks post-injury. Furthermore, constitutive modeling showed that increased distensibility was driven by an increase in collagen fiber waviness, which altered the distribution of fiber recruitment during loading. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The ability of the urinary bladder to store urine under low pressure is key in ensuring proper organ function. This highlights the important role that mechanics plays in the lower urinary tract. Loss of control of neurologic connection to the bladder from spinal cord injury can lead to changes of the structure of the bladder wall, resulting in altered mechanical characteristics. We found that the bladder wall's microstructure in rats 16 weeks after spinal cord injury is more compliant than in healthy animals. This is significant since it is the longest time post-injury analyzed, to date. Understanding the extreme remodeling capabilities of the bladder in pathological conditions is key to inform new possible therapies.

Evaluation of affine fiber kinematics in porcine tricuspid valve leaflets using polarized spatial frequency domain imaging and planar biaxial testing

Collagen fibers are the primary load-bearing microstructural constituent of bodily soft tissues, and, when subjected to external loading, the collagen fibers reorient, uncrimp, and elongate. Specific to the atrioventricular heart valve leaflets, the collagen fiber kinematics form the basis of many constitutive models; however, some researchers claim that modeling the affine fiber kinematics (AFK) are sufficient for accurately predicting the macroscopic tissue deformations, while others state that modeling the non-affine kinematics (i.e., fiber uncrimping together with elastic elongation) is required. Experimental verification of the AFK theory has been previously performed for the mitral valve leaflets in the left-side heart; however, this same evaluation has yet to be performed for the morphologically distinct tricuspid valve (TV) leaflets in the right-side heart. In this work, we, for the first time, evaluated the AFK theory for the TV leaflets using an integrated biaxial testing-polarized spatial frequency domain imaging device to experimentally quantify the load-dependent collagen fiber reorientations for comparison to the AFK theory predictions. We found that the AFK theory generally underpredicted the fiber reorientations by 3.1°, on average, under the applied equibiaxial loading with greater disparity when the tissue was subjected to the applied non-equibiaxial loading. Furthermore, increased AFK errors were observed with increasing collagen fiber reorientations (Pearson coefficient r = -0.36, equibiaxial loading), suggesting the AFK theory is better suited for relatively smaller reorientations. Our findings suggest the AFK theory may require modification for more accurate predictions of the collagen fiber kinematics in the TV leaflets, which will be useful in refining modeling efforts for more accurate TV simulations.

How to implement constrained mixture growth and remodeling algorithms for soft biological tissues

Biological soft tissues are constantly adapting to their mechanical environment and remodel to restore certain mechanobiological homeostatic conditions. These effects can be modeled using the constrained mixture theory, that assumes degradation of material over time and the gradual replacement of extant material by newly deposited material. While this theory presents an elegant way to grasp phenomena of growth and remodeling in soft biological tissues, implementation difficulties may arise. Therefore, we give a detailed overview of the mathematical description of the constrained mixture theory and its homogenized equivalent, and present practical suggestions to numerically implement the theories. These implementations are thoroughly tested with multiple example growth and remodeling models. Results show a good correspondence between both theories, with the homogenized theory favored in terms of time efficiency. Results of a step time convergence study show the importance of choosing a small enough time step, especially when using the classical theory.

Biomimetic surgical mesh to replace fascia with tunable force-displacement

Here we mimic the mechanical properties of native fascia to design surgical mesh for fascia replacement. Despite the widespread acceptance of synthetic materials as tissue scaffolds for pelvic floor disorders, mechanical property mismatch between mesh and adjacent native tissue drives fibrosis and erosion, leading the FDA to remove several surgical meshes from the market. However, autologous tissue does not induce either fibrosis or adjacent tissue erosion, suggesting the potential for biomimetic surgical mesh. In this study, we determined the design rules for mesh that mimics native fascia by mathematically modeling multi-component polymer networks, composed of elastin-like and collagen-like fibers, using a spring-network model. To validate the model, we measured the stress-strain curves of native bovine and nonhuman primate (Macaca mulatta) abdominal fascia in both toe and linear regions. We find that the stiffer collagen-like fibers must remain limp until the elastin-like fibers extend to the initial length of spanning collagen-like fibers under uniaxial tension. Comparing model results to experiment determines the product of fiber volume fraction and elastic modulus, a critical design parameter. Dual fiber mesh with mechanical properties that mimic fascia are feasible. These results have broad application to a wide range of soft tissue replacements including ~200,000 surgeries/year for pelvic floor disorders, because standard-of-care mesh contain only stiffer polymers that behave more like collagen than native tissue.

Wound contraction under negative pressure therapy measured with digital image correlation and finite-element analysis in tissue phantoms and wound models

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the capabilities of finite-element (FE) models to predict contraction of wounds managed with negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT). The features of wounds and surrounding tissues were analysed to gain insights into the mechanical effects of NPWT on them. 3D digital image correlation (DIC) measurement of soft tissue phantoms was used to investigate the effect of wound thickness, size, and shape, which were further compared with results of FE simulations. It was noticed that with an increased NP level the difference between DIC and FE in wound contraction became more pronounced, particularly for the thick wounds. In addition, the locations of the wounds were evaluated to predict their contraction characteristics, based on surrounding tissue structures, in 3D using the developed FE models. It was demonstrated that features and location of wounds influenced their deformations differently for the same pressure levels. Overall, this study, involving a combined experimental and computational approach, allowed the important insights into mechanical effects of NPWT.

Implementation and clinical application of a deformation method for fast simulation of biological tissue formed by fibers and fluid

Background

The aim of this paper is to provide a general discussion, algorithm, and actual working programs of the deformation method for fast simulation of biological tissue formed by fibers and fluid. In order to demonstrate the benefit of the clinical applications software, we successfully used our computational program to deform a 3D breast image acquired from patients, using a 3D scanner, in a real hospital environment.

Results

The method implements a quasi-static solution for elastic global deformations of objects. Each pair of vertices of the surface is connected and defines an elastic fiber. The set of all the elastic fibers defines a mesh of smaller size than the volumetric meshes, allowing for simulation of complex objects with less computational effort. The behavior similar to the stress tensor is obtained by the volume conservation equation that mixes the 3D coordinates. Step by step, we show the computational implementation of this approach.

Conclusions

As an example, a 2D rectangle formed by only 4 vertices is solved and, for this simple geometry, all intermediate results are shown. On the other hand, actual implementations of these ideas in the form of working computer routines are provided for general 3D objects, including a clinical application.

The long head of the biceps tendon undergoes multiaxial deformation during shoulder motion

The long head biceps tendon (LHBT) is presumed a common source of shoulder joint pain and injury. Despite common LHBT pathologies, diagnosis and preferred treatment remain frequently debated. This Short Communication reports the development of a subject-specific finite element model of the shoulder joint based on one subject's 3D reconstructed anatomy and 3D in vivo kinematics recorded from bone-fixed electromagnetic sensors. The primary purpose of this study was to use the developed finite element model to investigate the LHBT mechanical environment during a typical shoulder motion of arm raising. Furthermore, this study aimed to assess the viability of material models derived from uniaxial tensile tests for accurate simulation of in vivo motion. The findings of our simulations indicate that the LHBT undergoes complex multidimensional deformations. As such, uniaxial material properties reported in the existing body of literature are not sufficient to simulate accurately the in vivo mechanical behavior of the LHBT. Further experimental tests on cadaveric specimens, such as biaxial tension and combinations of tension and torsion, are needed to describe fully the mechanical behavior of the LHBT and investigate its mechanisms of injury.

Segmenting mechanically heterogeneous domains via unsupervised learning

From biological organs to soft robotics, highly deformable materials are essential components of natural and engineered systems. These highly deformable materials can have heterogeneous material properties, and can experience heterogeneous deformations with or without underlying material heterogeneity. Many recent works have established that computational modeling approaches are well suited for understanding and predicting the consequences of material heterogeneity and for interpreting observed heterogeneous strain fields. In particular, there has been significant work toward developing inverse analysis approaches that can convert observed kinematic quantities (e.g., displacement, strain) to material properties and mechanical state. Despite the success of these approaches, they are not necessarily generalizable and often rely on tight control and knowledge of boundary conditions. Here, we will build on the recent advances (and ubiquity) of machine learning approaches to explore alternative approaches to detect patterns in heterogeneous material properties and mechanical behavior. Specifically, we will explore unsupervised learning approaches to clustering and ensemble clustering to identify heterogeneous regions. Overall, we find that these approaches are effective, yet limited in their abilities. Through this initial exploration (where all data and code are published alongside this manuscript), we set the stage for future studies that more specifically adapt these methods to mechanical data.

How robust is the virtual fields method with respect to experimental inhomogeneities for bulge inflation testing of hyperelastic materials?

Mechanical characterization of biological soft tissue can be a challenging process due to its inherent inhomogeneities. Constitutive model calibration based on the virtual fields method enables the use of full-field deformation and thickness data in order to obtain region-specific material parameters. However, for practical reasons, assumptions are often made in model calibration frameworks, e.g., by using the average sample thickness and deriving homogenized material parameters. This study investigates the effect of these assumptions on the material parameters predicted by the virtual fields method. To this end, synthetic datasets of bulge inflation experiments were created using a finite element model and parameter identification was performed. The ground truth parameters could be retrieved for a homogeneous sample with a high accuracy of 0.15%, even when only part of the full-field deformation data was known. For samples with a nonuniform thickness, the parameters could still be obtained with an error of 4% when taking into account the average sample thickness. However by including the region-specific thickness, parameters and stress responses closer to the ground truth were found, within 1% error. When samples showed inhomogeneous material properties spread throughout the sample, the obtained parameters resulted in a more homogenized stress response, eliminating the minimal and maximal stresses of the ground truth response. The ground truth stress response could not be obtained when the sample consisted of regions of different material properties. Further, only an incremental error of 0.6%pt. was seen when decreasing the resolution in the parameter fitting framework by a factor 2.5 for both homogeneous samples and samples with a nonuniform thickness. These results highlight the robustness of the virtual fields method and can be translated to other test types.