Abstract
3D cell cultures have drawn a large amount of
interest in the scientific community with their ability to closely
mimic physiological conditions. Hydrogels have been used
extensively in the development of extracellular matrix (ECM)
mimics for 3D cell culture. Compounds such as collagen and fibrin
are commonly used to synthesize natural ECM mimics; however
they suffer from batch-to-batch variation. In this Review we explore
the synthesis route of hydrogels; how they can be altered to give
different chemical and physical properties; how different biomolecules
such as arginylglycylaspartic acid (RGD) or vascular
endothelial growth factor (VEGF) can be incorporated to give
different biological cues; and how to create concentration gradients
with UV light. There will also be emphasis on the types of
techniques available in high-throughput processing such as nozzle
and droplet-based biofabrication, photoenabled biofabrication, and microfluidics. The combination of these approaches and
techniques allow the preparation of hydrogels which are capable of mimicking the ECM.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1581 - 1601 |
Number of pages | 21 |
Journal | Bioconjugate Chemistry |
Volume | 25 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2014 |