Hyaluronic Acid Hydrogels with Phototunable Supramolecular Cross-Linking for Spatially Controlled Lymphatic Tube Formation.

ABSTRACT: The dynamics of the extracellular matrix (ECM) influences stem cell differentiation and morphogenesis into complex lymphatic networks. While dynamic hydrogels with stress relaxation properties have been developed, many require detailed chemical processing to tune viscoelasticity, offering a limited opportunity for in situ and spatiotemporal control. Here, a hyaluronic acid (HA) hydrogel is reported with viscoelasticity that is controlled and spatially tunable using UV light to direct the extent of supramolecular and covalent cross-linking interactions. This is achieved using UV-mediated photodimerization of a supramolecular ternary complex of pendant trans-Brooker's Merocyanine (BM) guests and a cucurbit[8]uril (CB[8]) macrocycle. The UV-mediated conversion of this supramolec

SUBMITTER: Fan F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10739586 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature