Work

Mechanical Characterization of a Dynamic and Tunable Methacrylated Hyaluronic Acid Hydrogel

Year: 2016

Type: article

Abstract: Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a commonly used natural polymer for cell scaffolding. Modification by methacrylate allows it to be polymerized by free radicals via addition of an initiator, e.g., light-sensitive Irgacure, to form a methacrylated hyaluronic acid (MeHA) hydrogel. Light-activated crosslinking can be used to control the degree of polymerization, and sequential polymerization steps allow cells plated onto or in the hydrogel to initially feel a soft and then a stiff matrix. Here, the elastic modulus of MeHA hydrogels was systematically analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) for a number of variables including duration of UV exposure, monomer concentration, and methacrylate functionalization. To determine how cells would respond to a specific two-step polymerization, NIH 3T3 fibroblasts were cultured on the stiffening MeHA hydrogels and found to reorganize their cytoskeleton and spread area upon hydrogel stiffening, consistent with cells originally cultured on substrates of the final elastic modulus.

Source: Journal of Biomechanical Engineering

DOI: 10.1115/1.4032429

Authors: Matthew G. Ondeck, Adam J. Engler

Institutions: University of California San Diego, Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine

Language: English

Topic: Hydrogels: synthesis, properties, applications

Subfield: Biomaterials

Field: Materials Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: bronze

Funders: National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute

Awards: Biomaterial Mimicry of Dynamic Matrix Stiffening During Tumor Progression, Strain-Activated Signaling within Cell Adhesions Dictates Cell Fate, "Smart" Materials to Engineer a More Complete Stem Cell Niche