title: Cellular cross-linking of peptide modified hydrogels.
abstract: Peptide modification of hydrogel-forming materials is being widely explored as a means to regulate the phenotype of cells immobilized within the gels. Alternatively, we hypothesized that the adhesive interactions between cells and peptides coupled to the gel-forming materials would also enhance the overall mechanical properties of the gels. To test this hypothesis, alginate polymers were modified with RGDSP-containing peptides and the resultant polymer was used to encapsulate C2C12 myoblasts. The mechanical properties of these gels were then assessed as a function of both peptide and cell density using compression and tensile tests. Overall, it was found that above a critical peptide and cell density, encapsulated myoblasts were able to provide additional mechanical integrity to hydrogels composed of peptide-modified alginate. This occurred presumably by means of cell-peptide cross-linking of the alginate polymers, in addition to the usual Ca++ cross-linking. These results are potentially applicable to other polymer systems and important for a range of tissue engineering applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biologic and Materials Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Jeanie L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Drury
authors.forename: Tanyarut
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Boontheekul
authors.forename: Tanyarut
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Boontheeku
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Mooney
mesh_terms: D000464:Alginates / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D002460:Cell Line; D018914:Cells, Immobilized / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D019245:Compressive Strength / Q000502:physiology; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents / Q000737:chemistry; D004548:Elasticity; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry; D008422:Materials Testing; D051379:Mice; D032446:Myoblasts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000737:chemistry*; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013718:Tensile Strength / Q000502:physiology; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000464:Alginates; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D020100:Hydrogels; D009842:Oligopeptides; C047981:arginyl-glycyl-aspartic acid