Hydrogel Selection Guide
The molecular design of hydrogels determines cell behavior and cell culture outcome. Cell degradability, cell adhesion, choice of extracellular matrix components as well as the possibility to degrade the hydrogel to recover cells and tissues are choices which make the 3-D Life Hydrogel system highly adaptable to requirements of cells in culture.
The schematic drawing below shows how different hydrogel compositions result in different cell environments. Several choices can be made to tailor cellular microenvironments with Ready-To-Design Hydrogels and 3-D Life Peptides.
- Polymers Dextran or PVA:
- Dextran can be degraded by dextranase and releases cells or tissues without any harm to cells (exception: there is no degradation possible when crosslinked with HyLink).
- PVA withstands any enzymatic activity and is a very stable polymer for long-term cultures.
- Crosslinker:
- Determines whether cells can locally degrade the hydrogel and create space to move. In addition, HyLink and CD-HyLink, which are based on hyaluronic acid, add additional biomimetic functions.
- Peptides:
- Induce intracellular signals and provide a cell adhesive extracellular environment, a prerequisite for most cells to spread and migrate.
3-D Life Dextran or PVA
crosslinked by
PEG-Link
CD-Link
HyLink
CD-HyLink
Gel not degradable by cells
Gel degradable by cells (MMPs)
Gel degradable by cells (hyaluronidase)
Gel degradable by cells (hyaluronidase and MMPs)
No Peptide
- Cells are embedded in a biologically inert matrix.
- Cells cannot spread and migrate.
- Cells are embedded in a matrix which they can degrade when appropriate MMPs are expressed.
- Cells cannot spread and migrate if dependent on cell-matrix adhesion.
- Cells are embedded in a matrix which they can degrade when appropriate hyaluronidases are expressed.
- Cells can spread and migrate if able to use hyaluronic acid as adhesion matrix.
- Cells are embedded in a matrix which they can degrade when appropriate hyaluronidases or MMPs are expressed.
- Cells can spread and migrate if able to use hyaluronic acid as adhesion matrix.
+ Peptide
- Cells are embedded in a biologically modified matrix.
- Cells can interact with peptides, if appropriate cell surface receptors are present.
- Cells cannot spread and migrate due to the tight network of polymers.
- Cells are embedded in a biologically modified matrix.
- Cells can interact with peptides if appropriate cell surface receptors are present.
- Cells can degrade the gel and spread and migrate when appropriate MMPs are expressed.
- Cells are embedded in a biologically modified matrix.
- Cells can interact with peptides, if appropriate cell surface receptors are present.
- Cells can degrade the gel and spread and migrate when appropriate hyaluronidases are expressed.
- Cells are embedded in a biologically modified matrix.
- Cells can interact with peptides, if appropriate cell surface receptors are present.
- Cells can degrade the gel and spread and migrate when appropriate hyaluronidases or MMPs are expressed.