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Fabrication of Stiffness Gradients of GelMA Hydrogels Using a 3D Printed Micromixer
Author(s) -
Lavrentieva Antonina,
Fleischhammer Tabea,
Enders Anton,
Pirmahboub Hamidreza,
Bahnemann Janina,
Pepelanova Iliyana
Publication year - 2020
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.202000107
Subject(s) - self healing hydrogels , microfluidics , stiffness , tissue engineering , biomedical engineering , fabrication , mesenchymal stem cell , mechanobiology , extracellular matrix , micromixer , rheology , gelatin , materials science , nanotechnology , chemistry , 3d cell culture , biophysics , composite material , anatomy , cell , polymer chemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , medicine , biochemistry , alternative medicine , pathology , biology
Many properties in both healthy and pathological tissues are highly influenced by the mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix. Stiffness gradient hydrogels are frequently used for exploring these complex relationships in mechanobiology. In this study, the fabrication of a simple, cost‐efficient, and versatile system is reported for creation of stiffness gradients from photoactive hydrogels like gelatin‐methacryloyl (GelMA). The setup includes syringe pumps for gradient generation and a 3D printed microfluidic device for homogenous mixing of GelMA precursors with different crosslinker concentration. The stiffness gradient is investigated by using rheology. A co‐culture consisting of human adipose tissue‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (hAD‐MSCs) and human umbilical cord vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) is encapsulated in the gradient construct. It is possible to locate the stiffness ranges at which the studied cells displayed specific spreading morphology and migration rates. With the help of the described system, variable mechanical gradient constructs can be created and optimal 3D cell culture conditions can be experientially identified.