title: Construction of Tough, in Situ Forming Double-Network Hydrogels with Good Biocompatibility.
abstract: Hydrogels are required to have high mechanical properties, biocompatibility, and an easy fabrication process for biomedical applications. Double-network hydrogels, although strong, are limited because of the complicated preparation steps and toxic materials involved. In this study, we report a simple method to prepare tough, in situ forming polyethylene glycol (PEG)-agarose double-network (PEG-agarose DN) hydrogels with good biocompatibility. The hydrogels display excellent mechanical strength. Because of the easily in situ forming method, the resulting hydrogels can be molded into any form as needed. In vitro and in vivo experiments illustrate that the hydrogels exhibit satisfactory biocompatibility, and cells can attach and spread on the hydrogels. Furthermore, the residual amino groups in the network can also be functionalized for various biomedical applications in tissue engineering and cell research.
authors.affiliation: Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics & Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100190, China.|University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049, PR China.
authors.forename: Yazhong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bu
authors.affiliation: Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics & Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100190, China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics & Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100190, China.|University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049, PR China.
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics & Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100190, China.|University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049, PR China.
authors.forename: Yanyu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics & Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100190, China.
authors.forename: Xing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics & Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100190, China.|University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049, PR China.
authors.forename: Decheng
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5276-8607
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012685:Sepharose; D023822:Tissue Engineering
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D020100:Hydrogels; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012685:Sepharose
keywords: PEG; agarose; biocompatible; double network; hydrogels