Open AccessSelf-Healing Boronic Acid-Based Hydrogels for 3D Co-cultures
Author(s) -
Megan E. Smithmyer,
Christopher C. Deng,
Samantha E. Cassel,
Paige J. LeValley,
Brent S. Sumerlin,
April M. Kloxin
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
acs macro letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.966
H-Index - 92
ISSN - 2161-1653
DOI - 10.1021/acsmacrolett.8b00462
Subject(s) - self healing hydrogels , 3d cell culture , cell encapsulation , self healing , cell culture , tissue engineering , boronic acid , materials science , nanotechnology , cell , chemistry , biomedical engineering , polymer chemistry , biochemistry , combinatorial chemistry , biology , medicine , alternative medicine , pathology , genetics
Synthetic hydrogels have been widely adopted as well-defined matrices for three-dimensional (3D) cell culture, with increasing interest in systems that enable the co-culture of multiple cell types for probing both cell-matrix and cell-cell interactions in studies of tissue regeneration and disease. We hypothesized that the unique dynamic covalent chemistry of self-healing hydrogels could be harnessed for not only the encapsulation and culture of human cells but also the subsequent construction of layered hydrogels for 3D co-cultures. To test this, we formed hydrogels using boronic acid-functionalized polymers and demonstrated their self-healing in the presence of physiologically-relevant cell culture media. Two model human cell lines, MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells and CCL151 pulmonary fibroblasts, were encapsulated within these dynamic materials, and good viability was observed over time. Finally, self-healing of cut hydrogel 'blocks' laden with these different cell types was used to create layered hydrogels for the generation of a dynamic co-culture system. This work demonstrates the utility of self-healing materials for multi-dimensional cultures and establishes approaches broadly useful for a variety of biological applications.