Tunable fibrin-alginate interpenetrating network hydrogels to support cell spreading and network formation.

ABSTRACT: Hydrogels are effective platforms for use as artificial extracellular matrices, cell carriers, and to present bioactive cues. Two common natural polymers, fibrin and alginate, are broadly used to form hydrogels and have numerous advantages over synthetic materials. Fibrin is a provisional matrix containing native adhesion motifs for cell engagement, yet the interplay between mechanical properties, degradation, and gelation rate is difficult to decouple. Conversely, alginate is highly tunable yet bioinert and requires modification to present necessary adhesion ligands. To address these challenges, we developed a fibrin-alginate interpenetrating network (IPN) hydrogel to combine the desirable adhesion and stimulatory characteristics of fibrin with the tunable mechanical properties of alginat

SUBMITTER: Vorwald CE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7198331 | biostudies-literature | 2020 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature