title: Multi-gradient hydrogels produced layer by layer with capillary flow and crosslinking in open microchannels.
abstract: This technical note describes a new bench-top method for producing anisotropic hydrogels composed of gradient layers of soluble factors, particles, polymer concentrations or material properties. Each gradient layer was produced by a previous gradient method in which a droplet of one precursor solution was added to a thin layer of a second solution. The ensuing rapid capillary flow along the open channel generated a gradient precursor solution, which was then crosslinked to form a gradient gel. Repeating these steps allowed a layered gel to be iteratively constructed with as many gradient layers as desired. This technique renders the synthesis of multi-layered gradient gels accessible to virtually any researcher and should help simplify the production of more biologically relevant cellular microenvironments.
authors.affiliation: Center for Biomedical Engineering, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Piraino
authors.forename: Gulden
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Camci-Unal
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Hancock
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rasponi
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khademhosseini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016880:Anisotropy; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D002196:Capillaries / Q000378:metabolism; D060833:Cellular Microenvironment; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D005782:Gels; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D008422:Materials Testing / Q000379:methods*; D051379:Mice; D041681:NIH 3T3 Cells; D011108:Polymers / Q000378:metabolism; D012996:Solutions / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D005782:Gels; D020100:Hydrogels; D011108:Polymers; D012996:Solutions