Norbornene Homopolymerization Limits Cell Spreading in Thiol-Ene Photoclick Hydrogels.

ABSTRACT: Thiol-ene click chemistry is a powerful tool for engineering tissue-mimicking hydrogels permissive to 3D cell spreading. Thiol-norbornene chemistry allows precise control over crosslinking while seemingly avoiding alkene homopolymerization that can restrict 3D cell spreading. However, limited stress relaxation of a guest-host crosslinked norbornene-modified hyaluronic acid (NorHA) hydrogel employing a thiol-norbornene photoclick reaction prompts investigation into unintended norbornene homopolymerization. Norbornene conversion exceeds 1:1 thiol-ene expectations across various formulations, implicating homopolymerization. Reducing the number of norbornenes per NorHA chain (f) mitigates network formation via norbornene homopolymerization. Guest-host hydrogels fabricated with Nor₈H

SUBMITTER: Gentry JL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12716181 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature