title: Characterizing the micro-scale elastic modulus of hydrogels for use in regenerative medicine.
abstract: Our objective was to characterize the elasticity of hydrogel formulations intended to mimic physical properties that cells and tissues experience in vivo. Using atomic force microscopy (AFM), we tested a variety of concentrations in a variety of biomaterials, including agarose, alginate, the collagens, fibrin, hyaluronic acid, kerateine, laminin, Matrigel, polyacrylamide, polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) and silicone elastomer (polydimethylsiloxane). Manipulations of the concentration of biomaterials were detectable in AFM measurements of elasticity (Young's modulus, E), and E tended to increase with increased concentration. Depending on the biomaterials chosen, and their concentrations, generation of tunable biocompatible hydrogels in the physiologic range is possible.
authors.affiliation: Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Richard H. Dean Biomedical Research Building, 391 Technology Way, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, United States. Electronic address: cmarkert@forsythtech.edu.
authors.forename: Chad D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Markert
authors.forename: Xinyi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Aleksander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Skardal
authors.forename: Zhan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Shantaram
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bharadwaj
authors.forename: Yuanyuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bonin
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guthold
mesh_terms: D000180:Acrylic Resins / Q000737:chemistry; D000464:Alginates / Q000737:chemistry; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D003094:Collagen / Q000737:chemistry; D004338:Drug Combinations; D055119:Elastic Modulus; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000737:chemistry; D020723:Glucuronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D006603:Hexuronic Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry*; D007797:Laminin / Q000737:chemistry; D008863:Microspheres; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000737:chemistry; D044968:Regenerative Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D013917:Thrombin / Q000737:chemistry; D000099166:Polyacrylamides
chemical_list: D000180:Acrylic Resins; D000464:Alginates; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D003094:Collagen; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005340:Fibrinogen; D020723:Glucuronic Acid; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D020100:Hydrogels; D007797:Laminin; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D011509:Proteoglycans; D013917:Thrombin; D000099166:Polyacrylamides; C059485:matrigel
keywords: Atomic force microscopy (AFM); Biomaterials; Elastic modulus; Hydrogel; Substrates; Tissue engineering