Multiphasic microgel-in-gel materials to recapitulate cellular mesoenvironments in vitro

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Dejan Husman - , Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden, TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)
  • Petra B. Welzel - , Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden (Author)
  • Steffen Vogler - , German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) (Author)
  • Laura J. Bray - , Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden, Queensland University of Technology (Author)
  • Nicole Träber - , Chair of Biofunctional Polymer Materials, Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden (Author)
  • Jens Friedrichs - , Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden (Author)
  • Vincent Körber - , Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden (Author)
  • Mikhail V. Tsurkan - , Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden (Author)
  • Uwe Freudenberg - , Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden (Author)
  • Julian Thiele - , Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden (Author)
  • Carsten Werner - , Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden, Chair of Biofunctional Polymer Materials, Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden (Author)

Abstract

Multiphasic in vitro models with cross-scale heterogeneity in matrix properties and/or cellular composition can reflect the structural and compositional complexity of living tissues more faithfully, thereby creating new options for pathobiology and drug development studies. Herein, a new class of tunable microgel-in-gel materials is reported that build on a versatile platform of multifunctional poly(ethylene glycol)-heparin gel types and integrates monodisperse, cell-laden microgels within cell-laden bulk hydrogel matrices. A novel microfluidic approach was developed to enable the high-throughput fabrication of microgels of in situ adjustable diameters, stiffness, degradability and biomolecular functionalization. By choosing structure and composition of the microgel and the bulk gel compartments independently, our microgel-in-gel arrangements provide cross-scale control over tissue-mimetic features and pave the way for culture systems with designed mesoenvironmental characteristics. The potentialities of the introduced approach are exemplarily shown by creating a reductionistic in vitro model of vascularized prostate cancer tissue.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)101-108
Number of pages8
JournalBiomaterials science
Volume8
Issue number1
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2020
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 31674601
ORCID /0000-0003-0189-3448/work/161890296

Keywords