1
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Dai CF, Zhu QL, Khoruzhenko O, Thelen M, Bai H, Breu J, Du M, Zheng Q, Wu ZL. Reversible Snapping of Constrained Anisotropic Hydrogels Upon Light Stimulations. Adv Sci (Weinh) 2024:e2402824. [PMID: 38704682 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202402824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
Creatures, such as Venus flytrap and hummingbirds, capable of rapid predation through snap-through transition, provide paradigms for the design of soft actuators and robots with fast actions. However, these artificial "snappers" usually need contact stimulations to trigger the flipping. Reported here is a constrained anisotropic poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) hydrogel showing fast snapping upon light stimulation. This hydrogel is prepared by flow-induced orientation of nanosheets (NSs) within a rectangular tube. The precursor containing gold nanoparticles is immediately exposed to UV light for photopolymerization to fix the ordered structure of NSs. Two ends of the slender gel are clamped to form a buckle with bistability nature, which snaps to the other side upon laser irradiation. Systematic experiments are conducted to investigate the influences of power intensity and irradiation angle of the laser, as well as thickness and buckle height of the gel, on the snapping behaviors. The fast snapping is further used to kick a plastic bead and control the switch state. Furthermore, synergetic or oscillated snapping of the gel with two buckles of opposite directions is realized by inclined irradiation of a laser or horizontal irradiation with two lasers, respectively. Such light-steered snapping of hydrogels should merit designing soft robots, energy harvests, etc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Fei Dai
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Qing Li Zhu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Olena Khoruzhenko
- Bavarian Polymer Institute and Department of Chemistry, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstrasse 30, 95440, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Michael Thelen
- Bavarian Polymer Institute and Department of Chemistry, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstrasse 30, 95440, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Huiying Bai
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Josef Breu
- Bavarian Polymer Institute and Department of Chemistry, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstrasse 30, 95440, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Miao Du
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Qiang Zheng
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Zi Liang Wu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
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2
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Zhu QL, Liu W, Khoruzhenko O, Breu J, Bai H, Hong W, Zheng Q, Wu ZL. Closed Twisted Hydrogel Ribbons with Self-Sustained Motions under Static Light Irradiation. Adv Mater 2024:e2314152. [PMID: 38652466 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202314152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2023] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Self-sustained motions are widespread in biological systems by harvesting energy from surrounding environments, which inspire scientists to develop autonomous soft robots. However, most-existing soft robots require dynamic heterogeneous stimuli or complex fabrication with different components. Recently, control of topological geometry has been promising to afford soft robots with physical intelligence and thus life-like motions. Reported here are a series of closed twisted ribbon robots, which exhibit self-sustained flipping and rotation under constant light irradiation. Both Möbius strip and Seifert ribbon robots are devised for the first time by using an identical hydrogel, which responds to light irradiation on either side. Experiment and simulation results indicate that the self-regulated motions of the hydrogel robots are related to fast and reversible response of muscle-like gel, self-shadowing effect, and topology-facilitated refresh of light-exposed regions. The motion speeds and directions of the hydrogel robots can be tuned over a wide range. These closed twisted ribbon hydrogels are further applied to execute specific tasks in aqueous environments, such as collecting plastic balls, climbing a vertical rod, and transporting objects. This work presents new design principle for autonomous hydrogel robots by benefiting from material response and topology geometry, which may be inspirative for the robotics community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Li Zhu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Weixuan Liu
- Department of Mechanics and Aerospace Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Olena Khoruzhenko
- Bavarian Polymer Institute and Department of Chemistry, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstrasse 30, 95440, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Josef Breu
- Bavarian Polymer Institute and Department of Chemistry, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstrasse 30, 95440, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Huiying Bai
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Wei Hong
- Department of Mechanics and Aerospace Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Qiang Zheng
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Zi Liang Wu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
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3
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Shmakov SL, Babicheva TS, Kurochkina VA, Lugovitskaya TN, Shipovskaya AB. Structural and Morphological Features of Anisotropic Chitosan Hydrogels Obtained by Ion-Induced Neutralization in a Triethanolamine Medium. Gels 2023; 9:876. [PMID: 37998966 PMCID: PMC10670621 DOI: 10.3390/gels9110876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 10/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
For the first time, anisotropic hydrogel material with a highly oriented structure was obtained by the chemical reaction of polymer-analogous transformation of chitosan glycolate-chitosan base using triethanolamine (TEA) as a neutralizing reagent. Tangential bands or concentric rings, depending on the reaction conditions, represent the structural anisotropy of the hydrogel. The formation kinetics and the ratio of the positions of these periodic structures are described by the Liesegang regularities. Detailed information about the bands is given (formation time, coordinate, width, height, and formation rate). The supramolecular ordering anisotropy of the resulting material was evaluated both by the number of Liesegang bands (up to 16) and by the average values of the TEA diffusion coefficient ((15-153) × 10-10 and (4-33) × 10-10 m2/s), corresponding to the initial and final phase of the experiment, respectively. The minimum chitosan concentration required to form a spatial gel network and, accordingly, a layered anisotropic structure was estimated as 1.5 g/dL. Morphological features of the structural anisotropic ordering of chitosan Liesegang structures are visualized by scanning electron microscopy. The hemocompatibility of the material obtained was tested, and its high sorption-desorption properties were evaluated using the example of loading-release of cholecalciferol (loading degree ~35-45%, 100% desorption within 25-28 h), which was observed for a hydrophobic substance inside a chitosan-based material for the first time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergei L. Shmakov
- Chair of Polymers, Institute of Chemistry, Saratov State University, 83 Astrakhanskaya St., 410012 Saratov, Russia (A.B.S.)
| | - Tatiana S. Babicheva
- Chair of Polymers, Institute of Chemistry, Saratov State University, 83 Astrakhanskaya St., 410012 Saratov, Russia (A.B.S.)
| | - Valentina A. Kurochkina
- Chair of Polymers, Institute of Chemistry, Saratov State University, 83 Astrakhanskaya St., 410012 Saratov, Russia (A.B.S.)
| | - Tatiana N. Lugovitskaya
- Institute of New Materials and Technologies, Ural Federal State University, 19 Mira St., 620002 Yekaterinburg, Russia;
| | - Anna B. Shipovskaya
- Chair of Polymers, Institute of Chemistry, Saratov State University, 83 Astrakhanskaya St., 410012 Saratov, Russia (A.B.S.)
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4
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Yue Y, Hayashi R, Yokota Y. Co-Self-Assembly of Amphiphiles into Nanocomposite Hydrogels with Tailored Morphological and Mechanical Properties. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2023; 15:21507-21516. [PMID: 37068768 PMCID: PMC10166085 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c01862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
As one of the most amazing aspects of life, all living organisms are formed by self-assembly, a fundamental biological design process in which ordered nanostructures are assembled from small parts. For example, most of the biological tissues contain structurally soft and hard parts that are usually hierarchically organized at nano or micro levels to achieve specific functions. Hydrogels are one of the most promising soft materials owing to their potential applications in building of biological tissues and stretchable sensors. In this work, a series of hydrogels are synthesized through the co-self-assembly of two types of amphiphiles in their aqueous solution prior to polymerization. Soft and hard parts with nanostructures of different order parameters are incorporated into the hydrogels. The hydrophilic segment (as soft phases) of the polymer network provides water absorption, fluid flow, and softness, whereas the hydrophobic segment (as hard phases) provides strength and tearing and fracture resistance. Appropriate soft/hard nanostructures and their interfaces allow for the tailoring of the desired morphological and mechanical properties, including a different wetting ability, toughness, energy dissipation, self-recovery, and fracture resistance arising from their nanostructures. This work provides insights into the design of nanostructured anisotropic hydrogels with controlled morphological and mechanical properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youfeng Yue
- Research
Institute for Advanced Electronics and Photonics, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
(AIST), Tsukuba 305-8565, Japan
- Precursory
Research for Embryonic Science and Technology (PRESTO), Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Kawaguchi 332-0012, Japan
| | - Rika Hayashi
- Research
Institute for Advanced Electronics and Photonics, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
(AIST), Tsukuba 305-8565, Japan
| | - Yoshiko Yokota
- Research
Institute for Advanced Electronics and Photonics, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
(AIST), Tsukuba 305-8565, Japan
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5
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Choi S, Moon JR, Park N, Im J, Kim YE, Kim JH, Kim J. Bone-Adhesive Anisotropic Tough Hydrogel Mimicking Tendon Enthesis. Adv Mater 2023; 35:e2206207. [PMID: 36314423 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202206207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Tendon consists of soft collagen, yet it is mechanically strong and firmly adhered to the bone owing to its hierarchically anisotropic structure and unique tendon-to-bone integration (enthesis), respectively. Despite the recent advances in biomaterials, hydrogels simultaneously providing tendon-like high mechanical properties and strong adhesion to bone-mimicking enthesis is still challenging. Here, a strong, stiff, and adhesive triple-network (TN) anisotropic hydrogel that mimics a bone-adhering tendon is shown. The tough adhesive TN hydrogel is developed by combining imidazole-containing polyaspartamide (providing multiple hydrogen bonds to the bone surface) and energy-dissipative alginate-polyacrylamide double-network. To mimic the anisotropic structure and high mechanical properties of tendons, the bone-adhered TN hydrogel is linearly stretched and subsequently fixed via secondary cross-linking. The resulting hydrogel exhibits high tensile modulus and strength while maintaining a high bone adhesion without chemical modification of the bone surface. Furthermore, a bone-ligament-bone structure with strong bone adhesion reminiscent of the natural ligament is realized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suji Choi
- School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong Ryul Moon
- School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Nuri Park
- School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Jihye Im
- School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Ye Eun Kim
- School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji-Heung Kim
- School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaeyun Kim
- School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences & Technology (SAIHST), Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea
- Biomedical Institute for Convergence at SKKU (BICS), Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Quantum Biophysics (IQB), Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea
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6
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Chen L, Chang X, Chen J, Zhu Y. Ultrastretchable, Antifreezing, and High-Performance Strain Sensor Based on a Muscle-Inspired Anisotropic Conductive Hydrogel for Human Motion Monitoring and Wireless Transmission. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2022; 14:43833-43843. [PMID: 36112731 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c14120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Integrating structural anisotropy, excellent mechanical properties, and superior sensing capability into conductive hydrogels is of great importance to wearable flexible electronics yet challenging. Herein, inspired from the aligned structure of human muscle, we proposed a facile and universal method to construct an anisotropic hydrogel composed of polyacrylamide and sodium alginate by pre-stretching in a confined geometry and subsequent ionic cross-linking. The designed hydrogels showed extraordinary mechanical performances, such as ultrahigh stretchability, a comparable modulus to that of human tissues, and good toughness, ascribed to their anisotropically aligned polymer networks. Additionally, the hydrogel possessed anisotropic conductivity due to the anisotropy in ion transport channels. The hydrogel along the vertical direction was further cut and assembled into a flexible strain sensor, exhibiting a low detection limit (0.1%), wide strain range (1585%), rapid response (123 ms), distinct resilience, good stability, and repeatability, thereby being capable of monitoring and discriminating different human movements. In addition, the relatively high ionic conductivity and superior sensitivity enabled the anisotropic hydrogel sensor to be used for wireless human-machine interaction. More interestingly, the Ca2+-cross-linking strategy also endowed the hydrogel sensor with antifreezing ability, further broadening their working temperature. This work is expected to speed up the development of hydrogel sensors in the emerging wearable soft electronics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liangren Chen
- College of Material, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Organosilicon Chemistry and Material Technology, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Organosilicon Material Technology, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaohua Chang
- College of Material, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Organosilicon Chemistry and Material Technology, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Organosilicon Material Technology, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianwen Chen
- College of Material, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Organosilicon Chemistry and Material Technology, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Organosilicon Material Technology, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Yutian Zhu
- College of Material, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Organosilicon Chemistry and Material Technology, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Organosilicon Material Technology, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
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7
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Abstract
In vivo, natural biomaterials are frequently anisotropic, exhibiting directional microstructures and mechanical properties. It remains challenging to develop such anisotropy in synthetic materials. Here, a facile one-step approach for in situ fabrication of hydrogels with hierarchically anisotropic architectures and direction-dependent mechanical properties is proposed. The anisotropic hydrogels, composed of a fibrous gel network (0.1 wt%), cross-linked with magnetic nanoparticles (spheres, rods, and wires, <0.1 wt%) are readily formed in the presence of very low magnetic fields (<20 mT). The anisotropy of the nanoparticles is transduced to the polymer network, leading to macroscopic anisotropy, for instance, in mechanical properties. Electrostatic repulsion by the negatively charged nanoparticles induces an additional layer of order in the material, perpendicular to the magnetic field direction. The straightforward fabrication strategy allows for stepwise deposition of layers with different degrees or directions of anisotropy, which enables the formation of complex structures that are able to mimic some of the complex hierarchical architectures found in biology. It is anticipated that this approach of hydrogel alignment may serve as a guide for designing advanced biomaterials in tissue engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Chen
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, Nijmegen, 6525 AJ, The Netherlands
| | - Zhaobao Zhang
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, Nijmegen, 6525 AJ, The Netherlands
| | - Paul H J Kouwer
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, Nijmegen, 6525 AJ, The Netherlands
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8
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Gao X, Cheng W, Zhang X, Zhou Z, Ding Z, Zhou X, Lu Q, Kaplan DL. Nerve Growth Factor-Laden Anisotropic Silk Nanofiber Hydrogels to Regulate Neuronal/Astroglial Differentiation for Scarless Spinal Cord Repair. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2022; 14:3701-3715. [PMID: 35006667 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c19229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Scarless spinal cord regeneration remains a challenge due to the complicated microenvironment at lesion sites. In this study, the nerve growth factor (NGF) was immobilized in silk protein nanofiber hydrogels with hierarchical anisotropic microstructures to fabricate bioactive systems that provide multiple physical and biological cues to address spinal cord injury (SCI). The NGF maintained bioactivity inside the hydrogels and regulated the neuronal/astroglial differentiation of neural stem cells. The aligned microstructures facilitated the migration and orientation of cells, which further stimulated angiogenesis and neuron extensions both in vitro and in vivo. In a severe rat long-span hemisection SCI model, these hydrogel matrices reduced scar formation and achieved the scarless repair of the spinal cord and effective recovery of motor functions. Histological analysis confirmed the directional regenerated neuronal tissues, with a similar morphology to that of the normal spinal cord. The in vitro and in vivo results showed promising utility for these NGF-laden silk hydrogels for spinal cord regeneration while also demonstrating the feasibility of cell-free bioactive matrices with multiple cues to regulate endogenous cell responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Gao
- National Engineering Laboratory for Modern Silk & Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, People's Republic of China
- Department of Orthopedics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215000, People's Republic of China
| | - Weinan Cheng
- Department of Orthopedics, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361000, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoyi Zhang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Modern Silk & Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhengyu Zhou
- Laboratory Animal Center, Medical Collagen of Soochow University, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhaozhao Ding
- National Engineering Laboratory for Modern Silk & Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaozhong Zhou
- Department of Orthopedics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215000, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiang Lu
- National Engineering Laboratory for Modern Silk & Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, People's Republic of China
| | - David L Kaplan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
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9
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Babu S, Albertino F, Omidinia Anarkoli A, De Laporte L. Controlling Structure with Injectable Biomaterials to Better Mimic Tissue Heterogeneity and Anisotropy. Adv Healthc Mater 2021; 10:e2002221. [PMID: 33951341 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202002221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Tissue regeneration of sensitive tissues calls for injectable scaffolds, which are minimally invasive and offer minimal damage to the native tissues. However, most of these systems are inherently isotropic and do not mimic the complex hierarchically ordered nature of the native extracellular matrices. This review focuses on the different approaches developed in the past decade to bring in some form of anisotropy to the conventional injectable tissue regenerative matrices. These approaches include introduction of macroporosity, in vivo pattering to present biomolecules in a spatially and temporally controlled manner, availability of aligned domains by means of self-assembly or oriented injectable components, and in vivo bioprinting to obtain structures with features of high resolution that resembles native tissues. Toward the end of the review, different techniques to produce building blocks for the fabrication of heterogeneous injectable scaffolds are discussed. The advantages and shortcomings of each approach are discussed in detail with ideas to improve the functionality and versatility of the building blocks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan Babu
- Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry (ITMC) Polymeric Biomaterials RWTH University Aachen Worringerweg 2 Aachen 52074 Germany
- DWI‐Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials Forckenbeckstrasse 50 Aachen 52074 Germany
- Max Planck School‐Matter to Life (MtL) Jahnstrasse 29 Heidelberg 69120 Germany
| | - Filippo Albertino
- DWI‐Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials Forckenbeckstrasse 50 Aachen 52074 Germany
| | | | - Laura De Laporte
- Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry (ITMC) Polymeric Biomaterials RWTH University Aachen Worringerweg 2 Aachen 52074 Germany
- DWI‐Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials Forckenbeckstrasse 50 Aachen 52074 Germany
- Max Planck School‐Matter to Life (MtL) Jahnstrasse 29 Heidelberg 69120 Germany
- Advanced Materials for Biomedicine (AMB) Institute of Applied Medical Engineering (AME) Center for Biohybrid Medical Systems (CMBS) University Hospital RWTH Aachen Forckenbeckstrasse 55 Aachen 52074 Germany
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10
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Zhu QL, Dai CF, Wagner D, Daab M, Hong W, Breu J, Zheng Q, Wu ZL. Distributed Electric Field Induces Orientations of Nanosheets to Prepare Hydrogels with Elaborate Ordered Structures and Programmed Deformations. Adv Mater 2020; 32:e2005567. [PMID: 33079426 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202005567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Revised: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Living organisms use musculatures with spatially distributed anisotropic structures to actuate deformations and locomotion with fascinating functions. Replicating such structural features in artificial materials is of great significance yet remains a big challenge. Here, a facile strategy is reported to fabricate hydrogels with elaborate ordered structures of nanosheets (NSs) oriented under a distributed electric field. Multiple electrodes are distributed with various arrangements in the precursor solution containing NSs and gold nanoparticles. A complex electric field induces sophisticated orientations of the NSs that are permanently inscribed by subsequent photo-polymerization. The resultant anisotropic nanocomposite poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) hydrogels exhibit rapid deformation upon heating or photoirradiation, owing to the fast switching of permittivity of the media and electric repulsion between the NSs. The complex alignments of NSs and anisotropic shape change of discrete regions result in programmed deformation of the hydrogels into various configurations. Furthermore, locomotion is realized by a spatiotemporal light stimulation that locally triggers time-variant shape change of the composite hydrogel with complex anisotropic structures. Such a strategy on the basis of the distributed electric-field-generated ordered structures should be applicable to gels, elastomers, and thermosets loaded with other anisotropic particles or liquid crystals, for the design of biomimetic/bioinspired materials with specific functionalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Li Zhu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Macromolecular, Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Chen Fei Dai
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Macromolecular, Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Daniel Wagner
- Bavarian Polymer Institute and Department of Chemistry, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstrasse 30, Bayreuth, 95440, Germany
| | - Matthias Daab
- Bavarian Polymer Institute and Department of Chemistry, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstrasse 30, Bayreuth, 95440, Germany
| | - Wei Hong
- Department of Mechanics and Aerospace Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Josef Breu
- Bavarian Polymer Institute and Department of Chemistry, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstrasse 30, Bayreuth, 95440, Germany
| | - Qiang Zheng
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Macromolecular, Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Zi Liang Wu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Macromolecular, Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
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11
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Echave MC, Domingues RMA, Gómez-Florit M, Pedraz JL, Reis RL, Orive G, Gomes ME. Biphasic Hydrogels Integrating Mineralized and Anisotropic Features for Interfacial Tissue Engineering. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2019; 11:47771-47784. [PMID: 31789494 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b17826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The innate graded structural and compositional profile of musculoskeletal tissue interfaces is disrupted and replaced by fibrotic tissue in the context of disease and degeneration. Tissue engineering strategies focused on the restoration of the transitional complexity found in those junctions present special relevance for regenerative medicine. Herein, we developed a gelatin-based multiphasic hydrogel system, where sections with distinct composition and microstructure were integrated in a single unit. In each phase, hydroxyapatite particles or cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) were incorporated into an enzymatically cross-linked gelatin network to mimic bone or tendon tissue, respectively. Stiffer hydrogels were produced with the incorporation of mineralized particles, and magnetic alignment of CNC resulted in anisotropic structure formation. The evaluation of the biological commitment with human adipose-derived stem cells toward the tendon-to-bone interface revealed an aligned cell growth and higher synthesis and deposition of tenascin in the anisotropic phase, while the activity of the secreted alkaline phosphatase and the expression of osteopontin were induced in the mineralized phase. These results highlight the potential versatility offered by gelatin-transglutaminase enzyme tandem for the development of strategies that mimic the graded, composite, and complex intersections of the connective tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mari Carmen Echave
- NanoBioCel Group, Laboratory of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy , University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU , Paseo de la Universidad 7 , Vitoria-Gasteiz 01006 , Spain
- Biomedical Research Networking Centre in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN) , Vitoria-Gasteiz 01006 , Spain
| | - Rui M A Domingues
- 3B's Research Group, I3Bs-Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine , University of Minho , AvePark, Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia, Zona Industrial da Gandra , Barco, 4805-017 Guimarães , Portugal
- ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory , Braga/Guimarães , Portugal
- The Discoveries Centre for Regenerative and Precision Medicine , Headquarters at University of Minho , Avepark , Barco, 4805-017 Guimarães , Portugal
| | - Manuel Gómez-Florit
- 3B's Research Group, I3Bs-Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine , University of Minho , AvePark, Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia, Zona Industrial da Gandra , Barco, 4805-017 Guimarães , Portugal
- ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory , Braga/Guimarães , Portugal
| | - José Luis Pedraz
- NanoBioCel Group, Laboratory of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy , University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU , Paseo de la Universidad 7 , Vitoria-Gasteiz 01006 , Spain
- Biomedical Research Networking Centre in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN) , Vitoria-Gasteiz 01006 , Spain
| | - Rui L Reis
- 3B's Research Group, I3Bs-Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine , University of Minho , AvePark, Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia, Zona Industrial da Gandra , Barco, 4805-017 Guimarães , Portugal
- ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory , Braga/Guimarães , Portugal
- The Discoveries Centre for Regenerative and Precision Medicine , Headquarters at University of Minho , Avepark , Barco, 4805-017 Guimarães , Portugal
| | - Gorka Orive
- NanoBioCel Group, Laboratory of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy , University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU , Paseo de la Universidad 7 , Vitoria-Gasteiz 01006 , Spain
- Biomedical Research Networking Centre in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN) , Vitoria-Gasteiz 01006 , Spain
- University Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Oral Implantology-UIRMI (UPV/EHU-Fundación Eduardo Anitua) , Vitoria 01006 , Spain
| | - Manuela E Gomes
- 3B's Research Group, I3Bs-Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine , University of Minho , AvePark, Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia, Zona Industrial da Gandra , Barco, 4805-017 Guimarães , Portugal
- ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory , Braga/Guimarães , Portugal
- The Discoveries Centre for Regenerative and Precision Medicine , Headquarters at University of Minho , Avepark , Barco, 4805-017 Guimarães , Portugal
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12
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Dey K, Agnelli S, Re F, Russo D, Lisignoli G, Manferdini C, Bernardi S, Gabusi E, Sartore L. Rational Design and Development of Anisotropic and Mechanically Strong Gelatin-Based Stress Relaxing Hydrogels for Osteogenic/Chondrogenic Differentiation. Macromol Biosci 2019; 19:e1900099. [PMID: 31298816 DOI: 10.1002/mabi.201900099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2019] [Revised: 05/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Rational design and development of tailorable simple synthesis process remains a centerpiece of investigational efforts toward engineering advanced hydrogels. In this study, a green and scalable synthesis approach is developed to formulate a set of gelatin-based macroporous hybrid hydrogels. This approach consists of four sequential steps starting from liquid-phase pre-crosslinking/grafting, unidirectional freezing, freeze-drying, and finally post-curing process. The chemical crosslinking mainly involves between epoxy groups of functionalized polyethylene glycol and functional groups of gelatin both in liquid and solid state. Importantly, this approach allows to accommodate different polymers, chitosan or hydroxyethyl cellulose, under identical benign condition. Structural and mechanical anisotropy can be tuned by the selection of polymer constituents. Overall, all hydrogels show suitable structural stability, good swellability, high porosity and pore interconnectivity, and maintenance of mechanical integrity during 3-week-long hydrolytic degradation. Under compression, hydrogels exhibit robust mechanical properties with nonlinear elasticity and stress-relaxation behavior and show no sign of mechanical failure under repeated compression at 50% deformation. Biological experiment with human bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs) reveals that hydrogels are biocompatible, and their physicomechanical properties are suitable to support cells growth, and osteogenic/chondrogenic differentiation, demonstrating their potential application for bone and cartilage regenerative medicine toward clinically relevant endpoints.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamol Dey
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Materials Science and Technology Laboratory, University of Brescia, Via Branze 38, 25123, Brescia, Italy.,Department of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Science, University of Chittagong, Chittagong, 4331, Bangladesh
| | - Silvia Agnelli
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Materials Science and Technology Laboratory, University of Brescia, Via Branze 38, 25123, Brescia, Italy
| | - Federica Re
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, ASST Spedali Civili, P.le Spedali Civili 1, 25123, Brescia, Italy
| | - Domenico Russo
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, ASST Spedali Civili, P.le Spedali Civili 1, 25123, Brescia, Italy
| | - Gina Lisignoli
- IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, SC Laboratorio di Immunoreumatologia e Rigenerazione Tissutale, via di Barbiano 1/10, 40136, Bologna, Italy
| | - Cristina Manferdini
- IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, SC Laboratorio di Immunoreumatologia e Rigenerazione Tissutale, via di Barbiano 1/10, 40136, Bologna, Italy
| | - Simona Bernardi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, ASST Spedali Civili, P.le Spedali Civili 1, 25123, Brescia, Italy
| | - Elena Gabusi
- IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, SC Laboratorio di Immunoreumatologia e Rigenerazione Tissutale, via di Barbiano 1/10, 40136, Bologna, Italy
| | - Luciana Sartore
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Materials Science and Technology Laboratory, University of Brescia, Via Branze 38, 25123, Brescia, Italy
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13
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Araújo-Custódio S, Gomez-Florit M, Tomás AR, Mendes BB, Babo PS, Mithieux SM, Weiss A, Domingues RMA, Reis RL, Gomes ME. Injectable and Magnetic Responsive Hydrogels with Bioinspired Ordered Structures. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2019; 5:1392-1404. [PMID: 33405615 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.8b01179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Injectable hydrogels are particularly interesting for applications in minimally invasive tissue engineering and regenerative medicine strategies. However, the typical isotropic microstructure of these biomaterials limits their potential for the regeneration of ordered tissues. In the present work, we decorated rod-shaped cellulose nanocrystals with magnetic nanoparticles and coated these with polydopamine and polyethylene glycol polymer brushes to obtain chemical and colloidal stable nanoparticles. Then, these nanoparticles (0.1-0.5 wt %) were incorporated within gelatin hydrogels, creating injectable and magnetically responsive materials with potential for various biomedical applications. Nanoparticle alignment within the hydrogel matrix was achieved under exposure to uniform low magnetic fields (108 mT), resulting in biomaterials with directional microstructure and anisotropic mechanical properties. The biological performance of these nanocomposite hydrogels was studied using adipose tissue derived human stem cells. Cells encapsulated in the nanocomposite hydrogels showed high rates of viability demonstrating that the nanocomposite biomaterials are not cytotoxic. Remarkably, the microstructural patterns stemming from nanoparticle alignment induced the directional growth of seeded and, to a lower extent, encapsulated cells in the hydrogels, suggesting that this injectable system might find application in both cellular and acellular strategies targeting the regeneration of anisotropic tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Araújo-Custódio
- 3B's Research Group, I3Bs - Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia, Zona Industrial da Gandra, 4805-017 Barco, Guimarães, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Manuel Gomez-Florit
- 3B's Research Group, I3Bs - Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia, Zona Industrial da Gandra, 4805-017 Barco, Guimarães, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Ana R Tomás
- 3B's Research Group, I3Bs - Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia, Zona Industrial da Gandra, 4805-017 Barco, Guimarães, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Bárbara B Mendes
- 3B's Research Group, I3Bs - Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia, Zona Industrial da Gandra, 4805-017 Barco, Guimarães, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Pedro S Babo
- 3B's Research Group, I3Bs - Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia, Zona Industrial da Gandra, 4805-017 Barco, Guimarães, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Suzanne M Mithieux
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales 2006, Australia.,School of Molecular Bioscience, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - Anthony Weiss
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales 2006, Australia.,School of Molecular Bioscience, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia.,Bosch Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - Rui M A Domingues
- 3B's Research Group, I3Bs - Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia, Zona Industrial da Gandra, 4805-017 Barco, Guimarães, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.,The Discoveries Centre for Regenerative and Precision Medicine, Headquarters at University of Minho, Avepark, 4805-017 Barco, Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Rui L Reis
- 3B's Research Group, I3Bs - Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia, Zona Industrial da Gandra, 4805-017 Barco, Guimarães, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.,The Discoveries Centre for Regenerative and Precision Medicine, Headquarters at University of Minho, Avepark, 4805-017 Barco, Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Manuela E Gomes
- 3B's Research Group, I3Bs - Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia, Zona Industrial da Gandra, 4805-017 Barco, Guimarães, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.,The Discoveries Centre for Regenerative and Precision Medicine, Headquarters at University of Minho, Avepark, 4805-017 Barco, Guimarães, Portugal
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14
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Arslan H, Nojoomi A, Jeon J, Yum K. 3D Printing of Anisotropic Hydrogels with Bioinspired Motion. Adv Sci (Weinh) 2019; 6:1800703. [PMID: 30693178 PMCID: PMC6343088 DOI: 10.1002/advs.201800703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2018] [Revised: 08/31/2018] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Motion in biological organisms often relies on the functional arrangement of anisotropic tissues that linearly expand and contract in response to external signals. However, a general approach that can implement such anisotropic behavior into synthetic soft materials and thereby produce complex motions seen in biological organisms remains a challenge. Here, a bioinspired approach is presented that uses temperature-responsive linear hydrogel actuators, analogous to biological linear contractile elements, as building blocks to create three-dimensional (3D) structures with programmed motions. This approach relies on a generalizable 3D printing method for building 3D structures of hydrogels using a fugitive carrier with shear-thinning properties. This study demonstrates that the metric incompatibility of an orthogonally growing bilayer structure induces a saddle-like shape change, which can be further exploited to produce various bioinspired motions from bending to twisting. The orthogonally growing bilayer structure undergoes a transition from a stretching-dominated motion to a bending-dominated motion during its shape transformation. The modular nature of this approach, together with the flexibility of additive manufacturing, enables the fabrication of multimodular 3D structures with complex motions through the assembly of multiple functional components, which in turn consist of simple linear contractile elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hakan Arslan
- Department of Materials Science and EngineeringUniversity of Texas at ArlingtonArlingtonTX76019USA
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace EngineeringUniversity of Texas at ArlingtonArlingtonTX76019USA
| | - Amirali Nojoomi
- Department of Materials Science and EngineeringUniversity of Texas at ArlingtonArlingtonTX76019USA
| | - Junha Jeon
- Department of Chemistry and BiochemistryUniversity of Texas at ArlingtonArlingtonTX76019USA
| | - Kyungsuk Yum
- Department of Materials Science and EngineeringUniversity of Texas at ArlingtonArlingtonTX76019USA
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15
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De France KJ, Xu F, Hoare T. Structured Macroporous Hydrogels: Progress, Challenges, and Opportunities. Adv Healthc Mater 2018; 7. [PMID: 29195022 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.201700927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2017] [Revised: 09/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Structured macroporous hydrogels that have controllable porosities on both the nanoscale and the microscale offer both the swelling and interfacial properties of bulk hydrogels as well as the transport properties of "hard" macroporous materials. While a variety of techniques such as solvent casting, freeze drying, gas foaming, and phase separation have been developed to fabricate structured macroporous hydrogels, the typically weak mechanics and isotropic pore structures achieved as well as the required use of solvent/additives in the preparation process all limit the potential applications of these materials, particularly in biomedical contexts. This review highlights recent developments in the field of structured macroporous hydrogels aiming to increase network strength, create anisotropy and directionality within the networks, and utilize solvent-free or additive-free fabrication methods. Such functional materials are well suited for not only biomedical applications like tissue engineering and drug delivery but also selective filtration, environmental sorption, and the physical templating of secondary networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin J. De France
- Department of Chemical Engineering; McMaster University; 1280 Main Street West Hamilton ON L8S 4L8 Canada
| | - Fei Xu
- Department of Chemical Engineering; McMaster University; 1280 Main Street West Hamilton ON L8S 4L8 Canada
| | - Todd Hoare
- Department of Chemical Engineering; McMaster University; 1280 Main Street West Hamilton ON L8S 4L8 Canada
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16
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De France KJ, Yager KG, Chan KJW, Corbett B, Cranston ED, Hoare T. Injectable Anisotropic Nanocomposite Hydrogels Direct in Situ Growth and Alignment of Myotubes. Nano Lett 2017; 17:6487-6495. [PMID: 28956933 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.7b03600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
While injectable in situ cross-linking hydrogels have attracted increasing attention as minimally invasive tissue scaffolds and controlled delivery systems, their inherently disorganized and isotropic network structure limits their utility in engineering oriented biological tissues. Traditional methods to prepare anisotropic hydrogels are not easily translatable to injectable systems given the need for external equipment to direct anisotropic gel fabrication and/or the required use of temperatures or solvents incompatible with biological systems. Herein, we report a new class of injectable nanocomposite hydrogels based on hydrazone cross-linked poly(oligoethylene glycol methacrylate) and magnetically aligned cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) capable of encapsulating skeletal muscle myoblasts and promoting their differentiation into highly oriented myotubes in situ. CNC alignment occurs on the same time scale as network gelation and remains fixed after the removal of the magnetic field, enabling concurrent CNC orientation and hydrogel injection. The aligned hydrogels show mechanical and swelling profiles that can be rationally modulated by the degree of CNC alignment and can direct myotube alignment both in two- and three-dimensions following coinjection of the myoblasts with the gel precursor components. As such, these hydrogels represent a critical advancement in anisotropic biomimetic scaffolds that can be generated noninvasively in vivo following simple injection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin J De France
- Department of Chemical Engineering, McMaster University , 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Kevin G Yager
- Center for Functional Nanomaterials, Brookhaven National Laboratory , Upton, New York 11973, United States
| | - Katelyn J W Chan
- Department of Chemical Engineering, McMaster University , 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Brandon Corbett
- Department of Chemical Engineering, McMaster University , 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Emily D Cranston
- Department of Chemical Engineering, McMaster University , 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Todd Hoare
- Department of Chemical Engineering, McMaster University , 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4L8, Canada
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