Progressive Local Accumulation of Self-Assembled Nanoreactors in a Hydrogel Matrix through Repetitive Injections of ATP.

ABSTRACT: Cellular functions are regulated with high spatial control through the local activation of chemical processes in a complex inhomogeneous matrix. The development of synthetic macroscopic systems with a similar capacity allows fundamental studies aimed at understanding the relationship between local molecular events and the emergence of functional properties at the macroscopic level. Here, we show that a kinetically stable inhomogeneous hydrogel matrix is spontaneously formed upon the local injection of ATP. Locally, ATP templates the self-assembly of amphiphiles into large nanoreactors with a much lower diffusion rate compared to unassembled amphiphiles. The local depletion of unassembled amphiphiles near the injection point installs a concentration gradient along which unassembled amphiphi

SUBMITTER: Chen R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8815075 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature