1. A simple layer-stacking technique to generate biomolecular and mechanical gradients in photocrosslinkable hydrogels
- Author
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Yuting Niu, Somayeh Zanganeh, Héloïse Mary, Jeremy J. Mao, Shu-Kai Hu, Ali Khademhosseini, Goro Choi, Hyojin Ko, Samad Ahadian, Yunzhi Yang, Kasinan Suthiwanich, Kirsten Fetah, Center for Minimally Invasive Therapeutics [Los Angeles] (C-MIT), University of California [Los Angeles] (UCLA), University of California-University of California, Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Sciences [Los Angeles], Tokyo Institute of Technology [Tokyo] (TITECH), Pôle Odontologie [CHU Reims], Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Reims (CHU Reims), Plateforme technologique Biomatériaux et Microfluidique - Biomaterials and Microfluidics technologic Platform, Institut Pasteur [Paris], National Taiwan University [Taiwan] (NTU), Stanford University, Center for Craniofacial Regeneration [New York], Columbia University [New York], University of California (UC)-University of California (UC), and Institut Pasteur [Paris] (IP)
- Subjects
[SDV.BIO]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Biotechnology ,Light ,Polymers ,Swine ,02 engineering and technology ,Biochemistry ,Gelatin ,Mice ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Tissue engineering ,Fluorescence microscope ,MESH: Animals ,MESH: Swine ,[SPI.FLUID]Engineering Sciences [physics]/Reactive fluid environment ,Hydrogels ,Serum Albumin, Bovine ,General Medicine ,021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology ,MESH: Methacrylates ,MESH: Polymers ,Cross-Linking Reagents ,Self-healing hydrogels ,Methacrylates ,0210 nano-technology ,Layer (electronics) ,Biotechnology ,MESH: Hydrogels ,Materials science ,food.ingredient ,Ultraviolet Rays ,MESH: Cross-Linking Reagents ,0206 medical engineering ,Biomedical Engineering ,Stacking ,Bioengineering ,macromolecular substances ,complex mixtures ,Article ,Biomaterials ,food ,MESH: Mechanical Phenomena ,Animals ,Humans ,MESH: Mice ,Mechanical Phenomena ,MESH: Humans ,Layer by layer ,technology, industry, and agriculture ,020601 biomedical engineering ,MESH: Light ,Chemical engineering ,chemistry ,NIH 3T3 Cells ,MESH: Ultraviolet Rays ,Ethylene glycol ,MESH: Serum Albumin, Bovine ,MESH: NIH 3T3 Cells - Abstract
International audience; Physicochemical and biological gradients are desirable features for hydrogels to enhance their relevance to biological environments for three-dimensional (3D) cell culture. Therefore, simple and efficient techniques to generate chemical, physical and biological gradients within hydrogels are highly desirable. This work demonstrates a technique to generate biomolecular and mechanical gradients in photocrosslinkable hydrogels by stacking and crosslinking prehydrogel solution in a layer by layer manner. Partial crosslinking of the hydrogel allows mixing of prehydrogel solution with the previous hydrogel layer, which makes a smooth gradient profile, rather than discrete layers. This technique enables the generation of concentration gradients of bovine serum albumin in both gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) and poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate hydrogels, as well as mechanical gradients across a hydrogel containing varying gel concentrations. Fluorescence microscopy, mechanical testing, and scanning electron microscopy show that the gradient profiles can be controlled by changing both the volume and concentration of each layer as well as intensity of UV exposure. GelMA hydrogel gradients with different Young's moduli were successfully used to culture human fibroblasts. The fibroblasts migrated along the gradient axis and showed different morphologies. In general, the proposed technique provides a rapid and simple approach to design and fabricate 3D hydrogel gradients for in vitro biological studies and potentially for in vivo tissue engineering applications.
- Published
- 2019