Fabrication of Stiffness Gradients of GelMA Hydrogels Using a 3D Printed Micromixer.
Antonina LavrentievaTabea FleischhammerAnton EndersHamidreza PirmahboubJanina BahnemannIliyana PepelanovaPublished in: Macromolecular bioscience (2020)
Many properties in both healthy and pathological tissues are highly influenced by the mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix. Stiffness gradient hydrogels are frequently used for exploring these complex relationships in mechanobiology. In this study, the fabrication of a simple, cost-efficient, and versatile system is reported for creation of stiffness gradients from photoactive hydrogels like gelatin-methacryloyl (GelMA). The setup includes syringe pumps for gradient generation and a 3D printed microfluidic device for homogenous mixing of GelMA precursors with different crosslinker concentration. The stiffness gradient is investigated by using rheology. A co-culture consisting of human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hAD-MSCs) and human umbilical cord vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) is encapsulated in the gradient construct. It is possible to locate the stiffness ranges at which the studied cells displayed specific spreading morphology and migration rates. With the help of the described system, variable mechanical gradient constructs can be created and optimal 3D cell culture conditions can be experientially identified.
Keyphrases
- extracellular matrix
- endothelial cells
- umbilical cord
- tissue engineering
- mesenchymal stem cells
- adipose tissue
- hyaluronic acid
- drug delivery
- induced apoptosis
- drug release
- high glucose
- pluripotent stem cells
- high throughput
- cell cycle arrest
- type diabetes
- oxidative stress
- circulating tumor cells
- endoplasmic reticulum stress
- solid state