Facile and biocompatible fabrication of chemically sol-gel transitional hydrogel free-standing microarchitectures.
We report a facile method to fabricate free-standing, 3D hydrogel microarchitectures of chemically sol-gel transitional hydrogels, which is based on the use of hydrophilic substrate and aerosol of gelling agent without molding (or sandwiching) process. Using proposed methods, we fabricated hydrogel microarchitectures of sheets, meshes, or microunits without morphological distortions on the microscale. These hydrogel microarchitectures could be easily and stably exfoliated from the substrates and cultured (in the case of containing cells). These free-standing hydrogel microarchitectures in sheets, meshes, or microunits can be easily harvested and assembled as a biofabrication unit to generate complex composites with controlled microscale structures.
Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-701, Republic of Korea.
Wonhye
W
Lee
Jaejung
J
Son
Seung-Schik
SS
Yoo
Je-Kyun
JK
Park
D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D008422:Materials Testing
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D020100:Hydrogels