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Cited by 8Hydrogels: synthesis, properties, applicationsTissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine3D Printing in Biomedical Research

Tailoring the Degradation Time of Polycationic PEG-Based Hydrogels toward Dynamic Cell Culture Matrices

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Kowalczuk, Kathrin, Wegner, Valentin D., Mosig, Alexander S., Schacher, Felix H.·2024·ACS Applied Bio Materials
DOI 10.1021/acsabm.4c00057PMC PMC11022240
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Abstract

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Poly(ethylene glycol)-based (PEG) hydrogels provide an ideal platform to obtain well-defined and tailor-made cell culture matrices to enhance in vitro cell culture conditions, although cell adhesion is often challenging when the cells are cultivated on the substrate surface. We herein demonstrate two approaches for the synthesis of polycationic PEG-based hydrogels which were modified to enhance cell-matrix interactions, to improve two-dimensional (2D) cell culture, and catalyze hydrolytic degradation. While the utilization of N, N -(bisacryloxyethyl) amine (BAA) as cross-linker for in situ gelation provides degradable scaffolds for dynamic cell culture, the incorporation of short segments of poly( N -(3-(dimethylamino)propyl)acrylamide) (PDMAPAam) provides high local cationic charge density leading to PEG-based hydrogels with high selectivity for fibroblastic cell lines. The adsorption of transforming growth factor (TGF-β) into the hydrogels induced stimulation of fibrosis and thus the formation of collagen as a natural ECM compound. With this, these dynamic hydrogels enhance in vitro cell culture by providing a well-defined, artificial, and degradable matrix that stimulates cells to produce their own natural scaffold within a defined time frame.

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  • PEG derivatives such as PEG-diacrylate or PEG-polyesters have been developed to enhance mechanical stability and control degradation rates for optimized anti-adhesion applications.

    “In response, PEG derivatives, such as PEG–diacrylate or PEG–polyesters, have been developed to enhance mechanical stability and control degradation rates for optimized anti-adhesion applications [220,221,222].”

    From Biomaterials in Postoperative Adhesion Barriers and Uterine Tissue Engineering (2025) · cites this paper as [221]

    The Degradation Kinetics section reports that changing the cross-linker composition controls degradation time and initial stiffness, and uses PEG-diacrylate as a nondegradable comparator. But the Introduction says these hydrogels were designed to improve cell adhesion for cell culture, not for anti-adhesion applications; the cited passages also do not identify PEG-polyesters as part of this approach. Page numbers are unavailable in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Kowalczuk, K., Wegner, V. D., Mosig, A. S., & Schacher, F. H.
Affiliations
  • Friedrich Schiller University Jena (DE)
  • Jena University Hospital (DE)
Corresponding author
  • Mosig, Alexander S.
  • Schacher, Felix H.
ORCID
Venue
ACS Applied Bio Materials
Publisher
American Chemical Society (ACS)
Published
2024-03-12
Volume
7
Issue
4
Pages
2402-2412
ISSN
2576-6422 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1021/acsabm.4c00057
PMC
PMC11022240
OpenAlex
W4392700497
Cited by
8
References
0
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 1
FWCI
0.99
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • ACS Applied Bio Materials (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Common Library Network (Der Gemeinsame Bibliotheksverbund) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (EXC 2051 390713860)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Medicine › Hydrogels: synthesis, properties, applications
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Biomedical Engineering › 3D Printing in Biomedical Research
Keywords
hydrogel degradation, dynamic cell culture, cell-matrix interactions, in situ gelation, cationic charge density, fibroblast adhesion, TGF-beta, fibrosis, collagen synthesis, extracellular matrix, biodegradable scaffolds
MeSH terms
Biocompatible Materials, Collagen, Cell Culture Techniques, Hydrogels, Tissue Engineering

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