10 research outputs found
Spatial and temporal modulation of cell instructive cues in a filamentous supramolecular biomaterial
Supramolecular materials provide unique opportunities to mimic both the structure and mechanics of the biopolymer networks that compose the extracellular matrix. However, strategies to modify their filamentous structures in space and time in 3D cell culture to study cell behavior as encountered in development and disease are lacking. We herein disclose a multicomponent squaramide-based supramolecular material whose mechanics and bioactivity can be controlled by light through co-assembly of a 1,2-dithiolane (DT) monomer that forms disulfide cross-links. Remarkably, increases in storage modulus from âŒ200 Pa to >10 kPa after stepwise photo-cross-linking can be realized without an initiator while retaining colorlessness and clarity. Moreover, viscoelasticity and plasticity of the supramolecular networks decrease upon photo-irradiation, reducing cellular protrusion formation and motility when performed at the onset of cell culture. When applied during 3D cell culture, force-mediated manipulation is impeded and cells move primarily along earlier formed channels in the materials. Additionally, we show photopatterning of peptide cues in 3D using either a photomask or direct laser writing. We demonstrate that these squaramide-based filamentous materials can be applied to the development of synthetic and biomimetic 3D in vitro cell and disease models, where their secondary cross-linking enables mechanical heterogeneity and shaping at multiple length scales
Smart Materials for Environmental Remediation Based on Two-Component Gels: Room-Temperature-Phase-Selective Gelation for the Removal of Organic Pollutants Including Nitrobenzene/O-Dichlorobenzene, and Dye Molecules from the Wastewater
Abstract Novel two-component gel systems based on aliphatic acidâhydroxy/base interaction were developed as smart materials for environmental remediation. The G1-A16 gelator could be used directly as a powder form to selectively gel aromatic solvents (nitrobenzene and o-dichlorobenzene) from their mixtures with wastewater (containing 0.5âM sodium nitrate and 0.5âM sodium sulfate) via a simple shaking strategy at room temperature without employing co-solvents and a heatingâcooling process. Meanwhile, the two-component gel system can efficiently remove the toxic dyes from the aqueous solution. The dominant factors that drive gelation in the case of the gelator and nitrobenzene or water have been studied using FT-IR, 1H NMR, and XRD. Overall, our research provides an efficient two-component approach for facilely tuning the properties of one-component gel for the realization of high-performance functionalities of gels. At the same time, our study demonstrates potential industrial application prospect in removing pollutants efficiently (such as aromatic solvents and toxic dye removal)
Squaramide-based supramolecular materials for three-dimensional cell culture of human induced pluripotent stem cells and their derivatives
Synthetic hydrogel materials can recapitulate the natural cell microenvironment; however, it is equally necessary that the gels maintain cell viability and phenotype while permitting reisolation without stress, especially for use in the stem cell field. Here, we describe a family of synthetically accessible, squaramide-based tripodal supramolecular monomers consisting of a flexible tris(2-aminoethyl)amine (TREN) core that self-assemble into supramolecular polymers and eventually into self-recovering hydrogels. Spectroscopic measurements revealed that monomer aggregation is mainly driven by a combination of hydrogen bonding and hydrophobicity. The self-recovering hydrogels were used to encapsulate NIH 3T3 fibroblasts as well as human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) and their derivatives in 3D. The materials reported here proved cytocompatible for these cell types with maintenance of hiPSCs in their undifferentiated state essential for their subsequent expansion or differentiation into a given cell type and potential for facile release by dilution due to their supramolecular nature
Squaramide-based supramolecular materials for three-dimensional cell culture of human induced pluripotent stem cells and their derivatives
Synthetic hydrogel materials can recapitulate the natural cell microenvironment; however, it is equally necessary that the gels maintain cell viability and phenotype while permitting reisolation without stress, especially for use in the stem cell field. Here, we describe a family of synthetically accessible, squaramide-based tripodal supramolecular monomers consisting of a flexible tris(2-aminoethyl)amine (TREN) core that self-assemble into supramolecular polymers and eventually into self-recovering hydrogels. Spectroscopic measurements revealed that monomer aggregation is mainly driven by a combination of hydrogen bonding and hydrophobicity. The self-recovering hydrogels were used to encapsulate NIH 3T3 fibroblasts as well as human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) and their derivatives in 3D. The materials reported here proved cytocompatible for these cell types with maintenance of hiPSCs in their undifferentiated state essential for their subsequent expansion or differentiation into a given cell type and potential for facile release by dilution due to their supramolecular nature
Spatial and Temporal Modulation of Cell Instructive Cues in a Filamentous Supramolecular Biomaterial
Supramolecular materials provide unique opportunities to mimic both the structure and mechanics of the biopolymer networks that compose the extracellular matrix. However, strategies to modify their filamentous structures in space and time in 3D cell culture to study cell behavior as encountered in development and disease are lacking. We herein disclose a multicomponent squaramide-based supramolecular material whose mechanics and bioactivity can be controlled by light through co-assembly of a 1,2-dithiolane (DT) monomer that forms disulfide cross-links. Remarkably, increases in storage modulus from âŒ200 Pa to >10 kPa after stepwise photo-cross-linking can be realized without an initiator while retaining colorlessness and clarity. Moreover, viscoelasticity and plasticity of the supramolecular networks decrease upon photo-irradiation, reducing cellular protrusion formation and motility when performed at the onset of cell culture. When applied during 3D cell culture, force-mediated manipulation is impeded and cells move primarily along earlier formed channels in the materials. Additionally, we show photopatterning of peptide cues in 3D using either a photomask or direct laser writing. We demonstrate that these squaramide-based filamentous materials can be applied to the development of synthetic and biomimetic 3D in vitro cell and disease models, where their secondary cross-linking enables mechanical heterogeneity and shaping at multiple length scales
Squaramide-Based Supramolecular Materials for Three-Dimensional Cell Culture of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells and Their Derivatives
Squaramide-Based Supramolecular Materials for Three-Dimensional Cell Culture of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells and Their Derivatives
Synthetic hydrogel materials can
recapitulate the natural cell
microenvironment; however, it is equally necessary that the gels maintain
cell viability and phenotype while permitting reisolation without
stress, especially for use in the stem cell field. Here, we describe
a family of synthetically accessible, squaramide-based tripodal supramolecular
monomers consisting of a flexible trisÂ(2-aminoethyl)Âamine (TREN) core
that self-assemble into supramolecular polymers and eventually into
self-recovering hydrogels. Spectroscopic measurements revealed that
monomer aggregation is mainly driven by a combination of hydrogen
bonding and hydrophobicity. The self-recovering hydrogels were used
to encapsulate NIH 3T3 fibroblasts as well as human-induced pluripotent
stem cells (hiPSCs) and their derivatives in 3D. The materials reported
here proved cytocompatible for these cell types with maintenance of
hiPSCs in their undifferentiated state essential for their subsequent
expansion or differentiation into a given cell type and potential
for facile release by dilution due to their supramolecular nature
Squaramide-Based Supramolecular Materials for Three-Dimensional Cell Culture of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells and Their Derivatives
Synthetic hydrogel materials can
recapitulate the natural cell
microenvironment; however, it is equally necessary that the gels maintain
cell viability and phenotype while permitting reisolation without
stress, especially for use in the stem cell field. Here, we describe
a family of synthetically accessible, squaramide-based tripodal supramolecular
monomers consisting of a flexible trisÂ(2-aminoethyl)Âamine (TREN) core
that self-assemble into supramolecular polymers and eventually into
self-recovering hydrogels. Spectroscopic measurements revealed that
monomer aggregation is mainly driven by a combination of hydrogen
bonding and hydrophobicity. The self-recovering hydrogels were used
to encapsulate NIH 3T3 fibroblasts as well as human-induced pluripotent
stem cells (hiPSCs) and their derivatives in 3D. The materials reported
here proved cytocompatible for these cell types with maintenance of
hiPSCs in their undifferentiated state essential for their subsequent
expansion or differentiation into a given cell type and potential
for facile release by dilution due to their supramolecular nature
Squaramide-Based Supramolecular Materials for Three-Dimensional Cell Culture of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells and Their Derivatives
Synthetic hydrogel materials can
recapitulate the natural cell
microenvironment; however, it is equally necessary that the gels maintain
cell viability and phenotype while permitting reisolation without
stress, especially for use in the stem cell field. Here, we describe
a family of synthetically accessible, squaramide-based tripodal supramolecular
monomers consisting of a flexible trisÂ(2-aminoethyl)Âamine (TREN) core
that self-assemble into supramolecular polymers and eventually into
self-recovering hydrogels. Spectroscopic measurements revealed that
monomer aggregation is mainly driven by a combination of hydrogen
bonding and hydrophobicity. The self-recovering hydrogels were used
to encapsulate NIH 3T3 fibroblasts as well as human-induced pluripotent
stem cells (hiPSCs) and their derivatives in 3D. The materials reported
here proved cytocompatible for these cell types with maintenance of
hiPSCs in their undifferentiated state essential for their subsequent
expansion or differentiation into a given cell type and potential
for facile release by dilution due to their supramolecular nature
Squaramide-Based Supramolecular Materials for Three-Dimensional Cell Culture of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells and Their Derivatives
Synthetic hydrogel materials can
recapitulate the natural cell
microenvironment; however, it is equally necessary that the gels maintain
cell viability and phenotype while permitting reisolation without
stress, especially for use in the stem cell field. Here, we describe
a family of synthetically accessible, squaramide-based tripodal supramolecular
monomers consisting of a flexible trisÂ(2-aminoethyl)Âamine (TREN) core
that self-assemble into supramolecular polymers and eventually into
self-recovering hydrogels. Spectroscopic measurements revealed that
monomer aggregation is mainly driven by a combination of hydrogen
bonding and hydrophobicity. The self-recovering hydrogels were used
to encapsulate NIH 3T3 fibroblasts as well as human-induced pluripotent
stem cells (hiPSCs) and their derivatives in 3D. The materials reported
here proved cytocompatible for these cell types with maintenance of
hiPSCs in their undifferentiated state essential for their subsequent
expansion or differentiation into a given cell type and potential
for facile release by dilution due to their supramolecular nature