Open AccessCover Image, Volume 56, Issue 4
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of polymer science part b: polymer physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.65
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1099-0488
pISSN - 0887-6266
DOI - 10.1002/polb.24569
Subject(s) - self healing hydrogels , cover (algebra) , vinyl alcohol , computer science , regeneration (biology) , polymer science , world wide web , chemistry , biomedical engineering , polymer , materials science , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , polymer chemistry , medicine , engineering , composite material , mechanical engineering
Nerve tissue regeneration requires the development of soft degradable materials, such as hydrogels, to deliver viable cells in a 3D environment at the neural interface. The hydrogel material of choice should allow modifications on physical properties to present cells with stiffness similar to native tissue as well as to incorporate bioactive molecules (proteins) to support cellular survival and growth. On page 273, this research from Rylie A. Green and colleagues tailors a poly (vinyl alcohol) hydrogel conjugated with bioactive components, sericin and gelatin (PVA‐SG), to support survival and growth of neuroglia cells (Schwann cells) with a matrix of comparable stiffness to nerve tissue. The image depicts healthy Schwann cells encapsulated within this tailored 3D hydrogel. (DOI: 10.1002/polb.24558 )