Tailoring hydrogel surface properties to modulate cellular response to shear loading.

ABSTRACT: Biological tissues at articulating surfaces, such as articular cartilage, typically have remarkable low-friction properties that limit tissue shear during movement. However, these frictional properties change with trauma, aging, and disease, resulting in an altered mechanical state within the tissues. Yet, it remains unclear how these surface changes affect the behaviour of embedded cells when the tissue is mechanically loaded. Here, we developed a cytocompatible, bilayered hydrogel system that permits control of surface frictional properties without affecting other bulk physicochemical characteristics such as compressive modulus, mass swelling ratio, and water content. This hydrogel system was applied to investigate the effect of variations in surface friction on the biological response o

SUBMITTER: Meinert C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5385162 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature