title: Preprogramming Complex Hydrogel Responses using Enzymatic Reaction Networks.
abstract: The creation of adaptive matter is heavily inspired by biological systems. However, it remains challenging to design complex material responses that are governed by reaction networks, which lie at the heart of cellular complexity. The main reason for this slow progress is the lack of a general strategy to integrate reaction networks with materials. Herein we use a systematic approach to preprogram the response of a hydrogel to a trigger, in this case the enzyme trypsin, which activates a reaction network embedded within the hydrogel. A full characterization of all the kinetic rate constants in the system enabled the construction of a computational model, which predicted different hydrogel responses depending on the input concentration of the trigger. The results of the simulation are in good agreement with experimental findings. Our methodology can be used to design new, adaptive materials of which the properties are governed by reaction networks of arbitrary complexity.
authors.affiliation: Radboud University, Institute for Molecules and Materials, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525, AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Sjoerd G J
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Postma
authors.affiliation: Radboud University, Institute for Molecules and Materials, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525, AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ilia N
authors.initials: IN
authors.lastname: Vialshin
authors.affiliation: Radboud University, Institute for Molecules and Materials, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525, AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Casper Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Gerritsen
authors.affiliation: Radboud University, Institute for Molecules and Materials, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525, AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bao
authors.affiliation: Radboud University, Institute for Molecules and Materials, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525, AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Wilhelm T S
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Huck
mesh_terms: D000180:Acrylic Resins / Q000737:chemistry; D055162:Biocatalysis; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents / Q000737:chemistry; D055119:Elastic Modulus; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry*; D007700:Kinetics; D044367:Phase Transition; D014357:Trypsin / Q000737:chemistry*; D000099166:Polyacrylamides
chemical_list: D000180:Acrylic Resins; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D020100:Hydrogels; D014357:Trypsin; D000099166:Polyacrylamides
keywords: enzymes; gels; life-like systems; programmable materials; reaction networks