Protease-Sensitive Hydrogel Biomaterials with Tunable Modulus and Adhesion Ligand Gradients for 3D Vascular Sprouting

• DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.8b00519
• Publication Date: 2018-09-25T22:38:03Z
• Authors: Yusheng J. He; Daniel A. Young; Merjem Mededovic; Kevin Li; Chengyue Li; Kenneth Tichauer; David Venerus; Georgia Papavasiliou
• Keywords: Biomaterial; Sprouting

Biomaterial strategies focused on designing scaffolds with physiologically relevant gradients provide a promising means for elucidating 3D vascular cell responses to spatial and temporal variations in matrix properties. In this study, we present photopolymerization approach, ascending photofrontal free-radical polymerization, generate proteolytically degradable hydrogel of poly(ethylene) glycol tunable continuous (1) elastic modulus (slope 80 Pa/mm) uniform immobilized RGD concentration (2.06 ± 0.12 mM) (2) the cell-adhesion peptide ligand 58.8 μM/mm) (597 22 Pa). Using coculture model sprouting, embedded induced increases number sprouts opposing gradient direction, whereas promoted length toward gradient. Furthermore, sprout were found be prominent regions containing higher concentration.