Browse by author
Lookup NU author(s): Dr Ria Toumpaniari, Dr Alexey Popov, Dr Michael Duan, Dr Jinju Chen, Professor Kenneth Dalgarno, Dr Bill ScottORCiD, Dr Ana Ferreira-DuarteORCiD
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
Hydrogels based on natural polymers offer a range of properties to mimic the native extracellular matrix, and provide microenvironments to preserve cellular function and encourage tissue formation. A tri-component hydrogel using collagen, alginate and fibrin (CAF) was developed and investigated at three collagen concentrations for application as a functional extracellular matrix analogue. Physical-chemical characterisation of CAF hydrogels demonstrated a thermo-responsive crosslinking capacity at physiological conditions with stiffness similar to native soft tissues. CAF hydrogels were also assessed for cytocompatibility using L929 murine fibroblasts, pancreatic MIN6 β-cells and human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs); and demonstrated good cell viability, proliferation and metabolic activity after 7 days of in vitro culture. CAF hydrogels, especially with 2.5% w/v collagen, increased alkaline phosphatase production in hMSCs indicating potential for the promotion of osteogenic activity. Moreover, CAF hydrogels also increased metabolic activity of MIN6 β-cells and promoted the reconstitution of spherical pseudoislets with sizes ranging between 50-150 μm at day 7, demonstrating potential in diabetic therapeutic applications.
Author(s): Montalbano G, Toumpaniari S, Popov A, Duan P, Chen J, Dalgarno K, Scott III WE, Ferreira AM
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Materials Science & Engineering: C
Year: 2018
Volume: 91
Pages: 236-246
Print publication date: 01/10/2018
Online publication date: 17/05/2018
Acceptance date: 28/04/2018
Date deposited: 02/05/2018
ISSN (print): 0928-4931
ISSN (electronic): 1873-0191
Publisher: Elsevier BV
URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msec.2018.04.101
DOI: 10.1016/j.msec.2018.04.101
Altmetrics provided by Altmetric
