“Hydrogel” Mini-Class

The research and development and application of biomaterials are of great significance for improving and enhancing the quality of human life.

“Hydrogel” Mini-Class

2023-11-14

The research and development and application of biomaterials are of great significance for improving and enhancing the quality of human life. For example, by studying and developing new biomaterials, we can address problems that traditional medical approaches cannot solve—such as tissue defect repair, induced regeneration, and organ transplantation. These biomaterials can also be used to manufacture medical devices and drug delivery systems, providing crucial support for human health.

As a type of biomaterial, hydrogels possess a variety of advantages and characteristics. First, hydrogels have a three-dimensional network structure that can mimic the extracellular matrix ( ECM the microenvironment that provides cells with a growth environment similar to that found in vivo, for use in 3D Cell culture. Secondly, hydrogels exhibit excellent biocompatibility and bioactivity, are biodegradable, and can be broken down in vivo into harmless substances. Meanwhile, certain gel materials can also bind to biomolecules, such as proteins. DNA Moreover, this enhances their biological activity and broadens their application scope. In addition, hydrogels possess excellent physicochemical properties, such as plasticity and tunability, enabling them to be used in the preparation of biomaterials with various shapes and sizes. Due to their porous structure, hydrogels can also find applications in drug delivery, tissue engineering, bioimaging, and biosensing.

1. Can't tell the glue apart. ：

With the expanding applications of hydrogels, the likelihood of encountering nouns and products ending in “-gel” has also increased. PubMed The cumulative number of literature items retrieved on hydrogels is approximately 63965 Chapter. Even colleagues who haven't yet entered the relevant field will occasionally exchange a few casual remarks with each other; yet, upon closer examination, this vague terminology leaves one merely scratching the surface. With The following lists various common types of “adhesives,” making learning and discussion smoother:

Name	Definition
Extracellular matrix ( Extracellular matrix , abbreviated as ECM )	In multicellular organisms, this refers to a complex network surrounding cells, composed of various macromolecules. These macromolecules include collagen, elastin, adhesion glycoproteins, integrins, proteoglycans, and others. They play an important role in maintaining tissue structure and regulating cell growth, differentiation, migration, recognition, adhesion, and intercellular communication.
Hydrogel	It is a soft material containing a large amount of water, obtained by cross-linking hydrophilic polymers. Due to its high water content, excellent water-absorbing capacity yet insolubility in water, soft texture, and biocompatibility, it closely resembles the extracellular matrix compared to other materials. There are various ways to classify hydrogels; based on the synthetic materials used to produce them, hydrogels can be categorized into gelatin hydrogels, thermosensitive hydrogels, polysaccharide hydrogels, hyaluronic acid hydrogels, dextran hydrogels, copolymer hydrogels, and others.
dECM Hydrogel	It's an extracellular matrix hydrogel. dECM A hydrogel is a gel-like material obtained through the decellularization of natural tissues. It is prepared by processing decellularized scaffolds—derived via decellularization methods—from natural tissues through grinding, enzymatic digestion, and other treatments. This hydrogel retains the three-dimensional structure of the tissue or organ as well as certain native fibrous components. It exhibits biological activity, biocompatibility, and non-immunogenicity, and can serve as a scaffold for seeding cells. “ Real-time interaction ” Rebuilding the structure of tissues and organs is crucial for tissue and organ regeneration and functional restoration.
EHS Hydrogel	It is a soluble basement membrane matrix, derived from mice. EHS (Engelbreth-Holm-Swarm) It is extracted and purified from sarcoma tissues. Its main components include laminin, IV It contains type I collagen, nestin, heparan sulfate proteoglycans, as well as transforming growth factor and several other growth factors. It particularly promotes cell adhesion and growth in adherent cells—especially those that are difficult to culture, such as human embryonic stem cells, neural cells, hepatocytes, melanoma cells, vascular endothelial cells, and hair follicle epithelial cells. EHS Hydrogel in 4℃ It is a viscous liquid at room temperature. 37℃ The hydrogel solidifies upon exposure to time. When using, it needs to be removed from... -20℃ Take out a stick. EHS Hydrogel, placed on 4℃ Let it thaw slowly overnight—do not use. 37℃ Water bath. Therefore, all related operations must be performed on ice, and consumables should be pre-cooled overnight.
Gelatin ( Gelatin )	It is a natural biomacromolecular material obtained through moderate hydrolysis and thermal denaturation of collagen, possessing an amino acid sequence similar to that of collagen. The side chains of gelatin contain a variety of active functional groups, such as amino, carboxyl, and hydroxyl groups. The possibility of multi-site chemical modification makes gelatin highly favored by numerous hydrogel researchers.
Methacryloylated gelatin ( GelMA )	For dual-bond-modified gelatin—a photosensitive biomaterial—it can be crosslinked and cured into a gel under the action of a photoinitiator in response to ultraviolet and visible light. GelMA Possessing characteristics of both natural and synthetic biomaterials, it features a three-dimensional structure that is conducive to cell growth and differentiation, as well as excellent biocompatibility and cell-response properties. It can serve as a substitute for artificial basement membranes or other natural collagen hydrogels. GelMA Gelatin hydrogels are photosensitive biomaterials made from methacrylated gelatin ( GelMA ) and is composed of gelatin hydrogels. This material features cell-adhesion sites as well as matrix metalloproteinase cleavage sites, enabling it to effectively support cell proliferation and migration.

2. GelMA Applications of hydrogels

GelMA Hydrogels have a wide range of applications in the biomedical field:

Cell 3D Cultivation: GelMA Hydrogels can serve as cell culture substrates, supporting cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation, and mimicking the cellular environment. 3D Microenvironment.

Tissue engineering: GelMA Hydrogels can serve as tissue-engineering scaffolds, filling bone defects or soft-tissue defects and promoting tissue regeneration and repair.

Biology 3D Print: GelMA Hydrogels are often used as a versatile bioink for bioprinting. During the bioprinting process, GelMA Usually mixed with cells, growth factors, and other bioactive substances, and then administered via... 3D Printing technology creates tissue-engineered constructs with specific structures and functions.

Drug delivery system: GelMA Hydrogels can serve as drug delivery systems to control the release of drugs. / gene / Release or localization of growth factors to achieve precise therapy.

Medical dressings and surgical supplies: They can absorb large amounts of moisture and release it when needed, providing a well-humidified environment for wounds and promoting wound healing. At the same time, hydrogels can also serve as surgical hemostatic agents.

3. Some commercially available gels from 3D Compare the printing angles.

Gel materials can be synthesized in a conventional laboratory, but they tend to exhibit batch-to-batch variability in terms of composition and mechanical properties. Purchasing commercially produced gels ensures the reproducibility of results.

Company name	Product Name	Hydrogel Types, Composition, and Properties	Application Instructions and Features
BIOGELX	BiogelxTM-INK-S (Biological gel) TM-INK-S )	A synthetic peptide hydrogel ink	This ink exhibits properties that are sensitive to temperature and pH Gelation independent of value changes.
	BiogelxTM-INK- Arginine - Glycine -Asp ( RGD )	A fibronectin-functionalized synthetic peptide hydrogel ink	Gelation and Temperature pH The change in value is irrelevant. This ink also employs a tripeptide consisting of arginine, glycine, and aspartic acid as a surface ligand to enhance its functionality.
	BiogelxTM-INK-GFOGER	Collagen-functionalized synthetic peptides	Gelation and Temperature pH Value doesn't matter. To achieve enhanced functionality, GFOGER The hexapeptide is used as a surface ligand to enhance functionality.
Manchester BIOGEL	PeptiInks®	Neutral or charged. Fibronectin, laminin, or collagen. Alpha 1 ， G prime ( kPa ) = 5 α 2 ， G prime ( kPa ) = 10 α 4 ， G prime ( kPa ) = 1 Functionalization = RGD 、 IKVAV 、 YIGSR 、 GOFGER	Due to its shear-thinning properties, it can be used in extrusion-based printers. Moreover, cell encapsulation is feasible, so when cells are directly printed, they may exhibit enhanced structural stability and long-term viability.
Regmat-3d	Fibronectin	Functionalized Synthetic Peptide Hydrogel Ink	This ink can mimic the extracellular matrix by forming a network of nanofibers. It is biocompatible and can be used in various printing applications, as its mechanical and chemical properties can be tailored.
Gelomics	Gelatin methacryloyl ( GelMA ) — Pig	Based on porcine gelatin ( A type). Its characteristic is the degree of methacrylation ranging from 75% To 85%	This ink can be used in phosphate-buffered saline or ( 4- ( 2- Hydroxyethyl) -1- Resuspend in piperazine ethane sulfonic acid buffer while maintaining the desired concentration. The ink can also be combined with a photoinitiator, enabling the resulting hydrolysate to undergo photo-crosslinking. Furthermore, stability at body temperature has been achieved.
	Gelatin methacryloyl GelMA— Cow)	Based on bovine gelatin ( B type). Its characteristic is the degree of methacrylation ranging from 75% To 85%	With gelatin methacryloyl ( GelMA ) – Like pigs, this ink can also be used in phosphate-buffered saline or ( 4- ( 2- Hydroxyethyl) -1- Resuspend in piperazine ethane sulfonic acid buffer while maintaining the desired concentration. The ink can also be combined with a photoinitiator, enabling the resulting hydrolysate to undergo photo-crosslinking. Furthermore, stability at body temperature has been achieved.
	LunaGel™ Ready-to-use	It is a light-curable extracellular matrix based on gelatin derived from bovine bone or pig skin. This ink is made from... I 、 III 、 IV and V It is composed of type I collagen. It also contains connective tissue glycoproteins and proteoglycans.	Ink can serve as a low-rigidity material. ( 0–6.5 kPa ) Or high-rigidity kit ( 0–25 kPa ) Existence.
Brinter bioinks	Fibrinogen, I Type I collagen and gelatin	-	-
Advanced Biomatrix	Lifeink® 200	pH Value is 7 And it is isotonic, indicating its suitability for cell addition and printing.	It is essentially a neutralization. I Type I collagen ink
Advanced Biomatrix	Lifeink® 240	pH Value is <7 (That is, acidic), classified as I Type I collagen-based ink	It can be used to generate high-resolution collagen scaffolds after neuralization.
Corning	PuraMatrix™	I Type I collagen, bovine or rat tail tendon, or human placenta, III Type I collagen, human placental protein, IV Type collagen, laminin, mouse, fibronectin, human, VI Type I collagen	It is a synthetic matrix that can be used to create various cell culture experiments. 3D Microenvironment. Under physiological conditions, the extracellular matrix can self-assemble via peptide components to... 3D Self-assembly takes place within the hydrogel. The nanoscale fiber structure characterizes the resulting product. 3D Hydrogel.
Cellink	Cellink fibrin	Contains fibrinogen	This ink is capable of forming a stable compound network by combining thrombin with an ion-binding agent. Cellink It can also provide a physiologically relevant wound-healing environment after crosslinking. Cellink Fibrin also contains cross-linked in situ fibrin and fibrinogen.
	GelXA ink	Contains fibrinogen	The existence of dual cross-linking capability is GelXA The characteristic ; The dual crosslinking capability is achieved through photopolymerization and treatment with an ionic thrombin-containing crosslinker.
	Cellink gelma	GelMA A ： GelMA and alginate	This ink exhibits shear-thinning rheological properties, allowing it to be printed at low pressure and forming filaments after deposition.
	-	GelMA HA ：	This ink is made by GelMA Composed of a base material, xanthan gum, and alginate, this ink features enhanced printability, ease of use, and stability. The ink can also be used to promote photoinitiator-assisted crosslinking, ionic crosslinking, or a combination of both.
	-	GelMA HA ：	This ink is made by GelMA Composed of xanthan gum and guar gum
	-	GelMA C ： GelMA And nano-fibrillated cellulose	This ink is made by GelMA It is composed of nanofibrillated cellulose. Its key feature is its smooth printability at room temperature, eliminating the need for temperature control. This ink also exhibits a fibrous morphology that benefits specific cells. Furthermore, this ink can rapidly crosslink via photopolymerization without the need for an ionically crosslinked solution.
Cellink laminin	111、121、411、521 and LAMINATOR+	This ink consists of three subunits. —— alpha Chain, beta Chain and gamma Chain. Different inks can be used for different specialized cells, such as hepatocytes, cardiomyocytes, neurons, and others.	-
Bio conductink	Contains 0.25% Photoinitiator ( LAP ) of the Gleatin Gelatin methacrylate ink	This ink is conductive and can be used for muscle contraction and neural tissue modeling. The ink also exhibits temperature-sensitive printability.	-

4. Gelomics Introduction to Hydrogels

Gelomics The company is located in Australia and boasts advantages in bio-material supply, including natural conditions, technology, quality, environmental friendliness, and safety. After years of research and development, gelomics Provides ready-to-use, batch-stable product solutions that require no “on-ice operations.” LunaGel ^TM — A methacrylated gelatin hydrogel with both photoresponsive and thermoresponsive properties, whose colloidal stiffness can be regulated by light irradiation, and which can be applied to... 3D Cell culture, organoids, bioprinting, animal experiments, angiogenesis, cell invasion, and more. We offer high-quality products and services at affordable prices, supporting research and development in the biomedical field.

References: Protein-Based 3D Biofabrication of Biomaterials. Bioengineering 2021, 8(4), 48

Keywords:

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