(Peer-Reviewed) Hydrogels with Dynamically Controllable Mechanics and Biochemistry for 3D Cell Culture Platforms
Hai-Yang Wu 吴海洋 ¹ ² ³, Lei Yang 杨磊 ¹ ² ³, Jiang-Shan Tu ¹ ² ³, Jie Wang 王杰 ⁴, Jin-Ge Li 李金歌 ¹ ² ³, Hong-Ying Lv 吕红英 ¹ ³, Xiao-Niu Yang 杨小牛 ¹ ² ³
¹ State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China
中国 长春 中国科学院长春应用化学研究所 高分子物理与化学国家重点实验室
² School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
中国 合肥 中国科学技术大学应用化学与工程学院
³ Polymer Composite Engineering Laboratory, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China
中国 长春 中国科学院长春应用化学研究所 高分子复合材料工程实验室
⁴ Huangpu Institute of Advanced Materials, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
中国 广州 中国科学院长春应用化学研究所 黄埔先进材料研究所
Abstract
Many cell-matrix interaction studies have proved that dynamic changes in the extracellular matrix (ECM) are crucial to maintain cellular properties and behaviors. Thus, developing materials that can recapitulate the dynamic attributes of the ECM is highly desired for three-dimensional (3D) cell culture platforms.
To this end, we sought to develop a hydrogel system that would enable dynamic and reversible turning of its mechanical and biochemical properties, thus facilitating the control of cell culture to imitate the natural ECM. Herein, a hydrogel with dynamic mechanics and a biochemistry based on an addition-fragmentation chain transfer (AFCT) reaction was constructed. Thiol-modified hyaluronic acid (HA) and allyl sulfide-modified ε-poly-L-lysine (EPL) were synthesized to form hydrogels, which were non-swellable and biocompatible.
The reversible modulus of the hydrogel was first achieved through the AFCT reaction; the modulus can also be regulated stepwise by changing the dose of UVA irradiation. Dynamic patterning of fluorescent markers in the hydrogel was also realized. Therefore, this dynamically controllable hydrogel has great potential as a 3D cell culture platform for tissue engineering applications.
High-speed and large-capacity visible light communication for 6G: advances and perspectives
Nan Chi, Zhilan Lu, Fujie Li, Haoyu Zhang, Yunkai Wang, Xinyi Liu, Zhiwu Chen, Zhe Feng, Zhuoran Hu, Zhixue He, Ziwei Li, Chao Shen, Junwen Zhang
Opto-Electronic Technology
2026-03-20
Holotomography-driven learning unlocks in-silico staining of single cells in flow cytometry by avoiding fluorescence co-registration
Daniele Pirone, Giusy Giugliano, Michela Schiavo, Annalaura Montella, Martina Mugnano, Vincenza Cerbone, Maddalena Raia, Giulia Scalia Ivana Kurelac, Diego Luis Medina, Lisa Miccio Mario Capasso, Achille Iolascon, Pasquale Memmolo, Pietro Ferraro
Opto-Electronic Science
2026-02-25
A hybrid integrated high-precision tunable semiconductor laser
Yiran Zhu, Botao Fu, Zhiwei Fang, Qiyue Hu, Jianping Yu, Yunpeng Song, Yu Ma, Min Wang, Kunpeng Jia, Zhenda Xie, Ya Cheng
Opto-Electronic Advances
2026-02-12
Millisecond-level electrically switchable metalens for adaptive rotational depth mapping and diffraction-limited imaging
Yeseul Kim, Jihae Lee, Won-Sik Kim, Hyeonsu Heo, Dongmin Jeon, Beomha Yang, Xiaotong Li, Harit Keawmuang, Shiqi Hu, Young-Ki Kim, Trevon Badloe, Junsuk Rho
Opto-Electronic Advances
2026-02-12
