title: Soft PEG-Hydrogels with Independently Tunable Stiffness and RGDS-Content for Cell Adhesion Studies.
abstract: Poly(ethylene)glycol (PEG)-based hydrogels are often used as matrix material for cell culturing. An efficient method to prepare soft PEG gels is by cross-linking via copper-free strain-promoted azide-alkyne cycloaddition (SPAAC). Here, the effect of polymer density and RGDS-content on hydrogel formation and cell adhesion was studied, by varying the total polymer content (10, 20 and 30 mg · mL(-1) ) and the amount of RGDS moieties (0-100%) independently of each other. Rheology studies confirmed the soft nature of the hydrogels (G' = 25-2 298 Pa). HOS cells are able to adhere well to all RGDS-containing gels. Interestingly, both HeLa cells and NIH 3T3 fibroblasts showed substantial adherence to 10 and 20 mg · mL(-1) gels, but with increased hydrogel stiffness (30 mg · mL(-1) ), their cellular adhesion decreased significantly.
authors.affiliation: Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525, AJ Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Anika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: M Jonker
authors.affiliation: Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525, AJ Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Saskia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: A Bode
authors.affiliation: Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525, AJ Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Addie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: H Kusters
authors.affiliation: Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525, AJ Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jan C M
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: van Hest
authors.affiliation: Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525, AJ Nijmegen, the Netherlands. d.lowik@science.ru.nl.
authors.forename: Dennis W P M
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Löwik
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002452:Cell Count; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D041681:NIH 3T3 Cells; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012212:Rheology
chemical_list: D020100:Hydrogels; D009842:Oligopeptides; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; C046617:arginyl-glycyl-aspartyl-serine
keywords: SPAAC; cell adhesion; hydrogel; stiffness