自愈水凝胶
结冷胶
材料科学
微流控
组织工程
刚度
制作
微通道
纳米技术
温度梯度
浓度梯度
生物医学工程
化学工程
复合材料
化学
高分子化学
色谱法
医学
替代医学
工程类
病理
食品科学
物理
量子力学
作者
Alexandros Kosmidis Papadimitriou,Soogine Chong,Yi Shen,Oscar Lee,Tuomas P. J. Knowles,Liam M. Grover,Daniele Vigolo
出处
期刊:Biofabrication
[IOP Publishing]
日期:2024-02-20
标识
DOI:10.1088/1758-5090/ad2b05
摘要
Abstract The extracellular matrix presents spatially varying physical cues that can influence cell behavior in many processes. Physical gradients within hydrogels that mimic the heterogenous mechanical microenvironment are useful to study the impact of these cues on cellular responses. Therefore, simple and reliable techniques to create such gradient hydrogels are highly desirable. This work demonstrates the fabrication of stiffness gradient Gellan gum hydrogels by applying a temperature gradient across a microchannel containing hydrogel precursor solution. Thermophoretic migration of components within the precursor solution generates a concentration gradient that mirrors the temperature gradient profile, which translates into mechanical gradients upon crosslinking. Using this technique, Gellan gum hydrogels with stiffness gradients ranging from 20 to 90 kPa over 600µm are created, covering the elastic moduli typical of moderately hard to hard tissues. MC3T3 osteoblast cells are then cultured on these gradient substrates, which exhibit preferential migration and enhanced osteogenic potential toward the stiffest region on the gradient. Overall, the thermophoretic approach provides a non-toxic and effective method to create hydrogels with defined mechanical gradients at the micron scale suitable for in vitro biological studies and potentially tissue engineering applications.
科研通智能强力驱动
Strongly Powered by AbleSci AI