Highly Elastic and Tough Interpenetrating Polymer Network-Structured Hybrid Hydrogels for Cyclic Mechanical Loading-Enhanced Tissue Engineering

Abstract

Although hydrogels are extensively investigated as biomaterials due to their ability to mimic cellular microenvironments, they are often limited by their poor physical properties in response to mechanical loads, including weak gel strength, brittleness, and permanent deformation. Recently, interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) hydrogels have gained substantial attention for their use in investigating changes in encapsulated cell behaviors under mechanical stimulation. However, despite recent success in developing highly elastic IPN-structured hydrogels, it remains a great technical challenge to endow them with biocompatibility and biodegradability due to use of toxic chemicals, nonbiodegradable prepolymers, and harsh reaction conditions. In this study, we report on the synthesis and formation of highly elastic and tough IPN-structured hydrogels based on alginate and gelatin, which are biocompatible and biodegradable. Mechanical stimulation enhanced the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of encapsulated human mesenchymal stem cells in the IPN-structured hydrogels. These new biocompatible, biodegradable, and tough elastomeric hydrogels provide an exciting platform for studying stem cell behaviors such as proliferation and differentiation under mechanical stimulation and may broaden the applications of hydrogels in the fields of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

Cyclic loading of a cellulose/hydrogel composite increases its fracture strength

“…In particular, load-bearing hydrogels gain attention [6] because the patient could rapidly put weight on the implant after its implementation satisfying then what has been defined as functional tissue engineering [7]. Moreover, tailoring mechanical properties of hydrogels to the native tissues may positively influence the formation of new tissues [8][9][10][11].…”

3D Printed Cartilage‐Like Tissue Constructs with Spatially Controlled Mechanical Properties

“…The resilience capacity of the hydrogels was confirmed by their ability to recover their original shape after being loaded four times, and each time reaching larger values, with a maximum of 1.2, 1.7, and 2.4 MPa in the last cycle for PEG 15%, 20%, and 25%, respectively, indicating a PEG‐concentration dependent effect on the materials' mechanical properties (Figure E–G). Moreover, the pronounced and stable hysteresis after five cycles confirmed the hydrogels' ability to dissipate energy when compressed, which is assured by the reversible alginate‐Ca 2+ crosslinking (Figure H).…”

Reconstruction Strategies of the Ureter and Urinary Diversion Using Tissue Engineering Approaches

“…A strategy based on a numerical model was applied to accelerate the design of specific scaffolds for TE 40 Saghebasl et al 46 Agheb et al…”

“…These hydrogels offer an exciting venue to investigate the effect of mechanical stimulation on SC proliferation and differentiation. 46 In situ CS/GEL hydrogels were achieved by simple mixing of aqueous solutions of both GEL-tris(carboxyethyl)phosphine and CS-acrylate via click chemistry strategy. In vitro studies showed excellent biocompatibility and potential of the hydrogel in various biomedical applications, including TE and drug delivery.…”