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Neffe AT, Löwenberg C, Julich-Gruner KK, Behl M, Lendlein A. Thermally-Induced Shape-Memory Behavior of Degradable Gelatin-Based Networks. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:5892. [PMID: 34072689 PMCID: PMC8197998 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22115892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Shape-memory hydrogels (SMH) are multifunctional, actively-moving polymers of interest in biomedicine. In loosely crosslinked polymer networks, gelatin chains may form triple helices, which can act as temporary net points in SMH, depending on the presence of salts. Here, we show programming and initiation of the shape-memory effect of such networks based on a thermomechanical process compatible with the physiological environment. The SMH were synthesized by reaction of glycidylmethacrylated gelatin with oligo(ethylene glycol) (OEG) α,ω-dithiols of varying crosslinker length and amount. Triple helicalization of gelatin chains is shown directly by wide-angle X-ray scattering and indirectly via the mechanical behavior at different temperatures. The ability to form triple helices increased with the molar mass of the crosslinker. Hydrogels had storage moduli of 0.27-23 kPa and Young's moduli of 215-360 kPa at 4 °C. The hydrogels were hydrolytically degradable, with full degradation to water-soluble products within one week at 37 °C and pH = 7.4. A thermally-induced shape-memory effect is demonstrated in bending as well as in compression tests, in which shape recovery with excellent shape-recovery rates Rr close to 100% were observed. In the future, the material presented here could be applied, e.g., as self-anchoring devices mechanically resembling the extracellular matrix.
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Affiliation(s)
- Axel T. Neffe
- Institute of Active Polymers and Berlin-Brandenburg Center of Regenerative Therapies, Helm-holtz-Zentrum Hereon, 14513 Teltow, Germany; (A.T.N.); (C.L.); (K.K.J.-G.); (M.B.)
| | - Candy Löwenberg
- Institute of Active Polymers and Berlin-Brandenburg Center of Regenerative Therapies, Helm-holtz-Zentrum Hereon, 14513 Teltow, Germany; (A.T.N.); (C.L.); (K.K.J.-G.); (M.B.)
| | - Konstanze K. Julich-Gruner
- Institute of Active Polymers and Berlin-Brandenburg Center of Regenerative Therapies, Helm-holtz-Zentrum Hereon, 14513 Teltow, Germany; (A.T.N.); (C.L.); (K.K.J.-G.); (M.B.)
| | - Marc Behl
- Institute of Active Polymers and Berlin-Brandenburg Center of Regenerative Therapies, Helm-holtz-Zentrum Hereon, 14513 Teltow, Germany; (A.T.N.); (C.L.); (K.K.J.-G.); (M.B.)
| | - Andreas Lendlein
- Institute of Active Polymers and Berlin-Brandenburg Center of Regenerative Therapies, Helm-holtz-Zentrum Hereon, 14513 Teltow, Germany; (A.T.N.); (C.L.); (K.K.J.-G.); (M.B.)
- Institute of Chemistry, University of Potsdam, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
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Ying G, Jiang N, Parra C, Tang G, Zhang J, Wang H, Chen S, Huang NP, Xie J, Zhang YS. Bioprinted Injectable Hierarchically Porous Gelatin Methacryloyl Hydrogel Constructs with Shape-Memory Properties. Adv Funct Mater 2020; 30:2003740. [PMID: 33708030 PMCID: PMC7941201 DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202003740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
Direct injection of cell-laden hydrogels shows high potentials in tissue regeneration for translational therapy. The traditional cell-laden hydrogels are often used as bulk space fillers to tissue defects after injection, likely limiting their structural controllability. On the other hand, patterned cell-laden hydrogel constructs often necessitate invasive surgical procedures. To overcome these problems, herein, we report a unique strategy for encapsulating living human cells in a pore-forming gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA)-based bioink to ultimately produce injectable hierarchically macro-micro-nanoporous cell-laden GelMA hydrogel constructs through three-dimensional (3D) extrusion bioprinting. The hydrogel constructs can be fabricated into various shapes and sizes that are defect-specific. Due to the hierarchically macro-micro-nanoporous structures, the cell-laden hydrogel constructs can readily recover to their original shapes, and sustain high cell viability, proliferation, spreading, and differentiation after compression and injection. Besides, in vivo studies further reveal that the hydrogel constructs can integrate well with the surrounding host tissues. These findings suggest that our unique 3D-bioprinted pore-forming GelMA hydrogel constructs are promising candidates for applications in minimally invasive tissue regeneration and cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoliang Ying
- Division of Engineering in Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Nan Jiang
- School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Carolina Parra
- Division of Engineering in Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Guosheng Tang
- Division of Engineering in Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Jingyi Zhang
- Division of Engineering in Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Hongjun Wang
- Department of Surgery-Transplant and Holland Regenerative Medicine Program University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Shixuan Chen
- Department of Surgery-Transplant and Holland Regenerative Medicine Program University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Ning-Ping Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Jingwei Xie
- Department of Surgery-Transplant and Holland Regenerative Medicine Program University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Yu Shrike Zhang
- Division of Engineering in Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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