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In Situ Forming Physical Hydrogels for Three‐dimensional Tissue Morphogenesis
Author(s) -
Liu Yang,
Liu Bo,
Riesberg Jeremiah J.,
Shen Wei
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
macromolecular bioscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.924
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1616-5195
pISSN - 1616-5187
DOI - 10.1002/mabi.201100119
Subject(s) - self healing hydrogels , macromonomer , in situ , covalent bond , chemistry , cell encapsulation , materials science , polymer chemistry , biophysics , copolymer , polymer , organic chemistry , biology
Abstract In situ forming physical hydrogels are formed through a biologically benign reaction between two multi‐arm macromers, one containing terminal thiol and the other containing terminal vinyl sulfone groups. One macromer is self‐assembled through a coiled‐coil domain; and the physical junction of this macromer confers the physical nature to the whole network. Unlike covalently cross‐linked hydrogels in which material degradation is a prerequisite for three‐dimensional cell movement, these physical hydrogels have junctions that undergo reversible dissociation and re‐association, constitutively opening paths for cell movement. Epithelial cells encapsulated in these hydrogels can form hollow spherical cysts without the need for material degradation.