Tuning of Mechanical Properties in Photopolymerizable Gelatin-Based Hydrogels for In Vitro Cell Culture Systems.

ABSTRACT: The mechanical microenvironment plays a crucial role in the evolution of colorectal cancer, a complex disease characterized by heterogeneous tumors with varying elasticity. Toward setting up distinct scenarios, herein, we describe the preparation and characterization of gelatin methacrylamide (GelMA)-based hydrogels via two different mechanisms: free-radical photopolymerization and photo-induced thiol-ene reaction. A precise stiffness modulation of covalently crosslinked scaffolds was achieved through the application of well-defined irradiation times while keeping the intensity constant. Besides, the incorporation of thiol chemistry strongly increased stiffness with low to moderate curing times. This wide range of finely tuned mechanical properties successfully covered from healthy

SUBMITTER: Pamplona R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9926877 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature