Tunable Bicontinuous Macroporous Cell Culture Scaffolds via Kinetically Controlled Phase Separation.

ABSTRACT: 3D scaffolds enable biological investigations with a more natural cell conformation. However, the porosity of synthetic hydrogels is often limited to the nanometer scale, which confines the movement of 3D encapsulated cells and restricts dynamic cell processes. Precise control of hydrogel porosity across length scales remains a challenge and the development of porous materials that allow cell infiltration, spreading, and migration in a manner more similar to natural ECM environments is desirable. Here, a straightforward and reliable method is presented for generating kinetically-controlled macroporous biomaterials using liquid-liquid phase separation between poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and dextran. Photopolymerization-induced phase separation resulted in macroporous hydrogels with tunable

SUBMITTER: Dudaryeva OY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11837887 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature