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Photopolymerization in Microfluidic Gradient Generators: Microscale Control of Substrate Compliance to Manipulate Cell Response
Author(s) -
Zaari N.,
Rajagopalan P.,
Kim S. K.,
Engler A. J.,
Wong J. Y.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
advanced materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.707
H-Index - 527
eISSN - 1521-4095
pISSN - 0935-9648
DOI - 10.1002/adma.200400883
Subject(s) - microscale chemistry , microfluidics , photopolymer , materials science , self healing hydrogels , substrate (aquarium) , nanotechnology , mechanobiology , generator (circuit theory) , composite material , polymer , polymerization , power (physics) , polymer chemistry , oceanography , mathematics education , mathematics , geology , physics , quantum mechanics , biology , genetics
Integration of a microfluidic gradient generator and photopolymerization to fabricate novel hydrogels with tunable mechanical properties on the microscale (see Figure) is reported. This concept introduces a new class of materials that can be used to investigate the role of substrate elastic moduli in controlling cell morphology and cytoskeletal organization, and more generally, cell behavior.