Varying PEG density to control stress relaxation in alginate-PEG hydrogels for 3D cell culture studies.

ABSTRACT: Hydrogels are commonly used as artificial extracellular matrices for 3D cell culture and for tissue engineering. Viscoelastic hydrogels with tunable stress relaxation have recently been developed, and stress relaxation in the hydrogels has been found to play a key role in regulating cell behaviors such as differentiation, spreading, and proliferation. Here we report a simple but precise materials approach to tuning stress relaxation of alginate hydrogels with polyethylene glycol (PEG) covalently grafted onto the alginate. Hydrogel relaxation was modulated independent of the initial elastic modulus by varying molecular weight and concentration of PEG along with calcium crosslinking of the alginate. Increased concentration and molecular weight of the PEG resulted in faster stress relaxation,

SUBMITTER: Nam S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6463514 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature