A Self-Healing Hierarchical Fiber Hydrogel That Mimics ECM Structure.

Kai Li,Qiang Zhang,Dong Han,Feng Liang,Xiaoli Shi,Yuting Zhu

doi:10.3390/ma13225277

Abstract

Although there have been many studies on using hydrogels as substitutes for natural extracellular matrices (ECMs), hydrogels that mimic the structure and properties of ECM remain a contentious topic in current research. Herein, a hierarchical biomimetic fiber hydrogel was prepared using a simple strategy, with a structure highly similar to that of the ECM. Cell viability experiments showed that the hydrogel not only has good biocompatibility but also promotes cell proliferation and growth. It was also observed that cells adhere to the fibers in the hydrogel, mimicking the state of cells in the ECM. Lastly, through a rat skin wound repair experiment, we demonstrated that this hydrogel has a good effect on promoting rat skin healing. Its high structural similarity to the ECM and good biocompatibility make this hydrogel a good candidate for prospective applications in the field of tissue engineering.

Highlights

As a typical biological soft matter, the extracellular matrix (ECM) is widespread in various extracellular spaces in the muscles, tendons, and other tissues [1]
After adding Fehling’s reagent to the hydrogel in a boiling water bath for 20 min, a brick-red precipitate could be clearly seen at the bottom of the bottle, indicating that sodium alginate (SA) was successfully oxidized with the formation of aldehyde groups
The results show that the addition of Epidermal growth factor (EGF) enhanced the effect of oxidized sodium alginate (OSA)-Carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS)-chitosan microfibers (CMFs) on fibroblast proliferation

Summary

Introduction

As a typical biological soft matter, the extracellular matrix (ECM) is widespread in various extracellular spaces in the muscles, tendons, and other tissues [1]. The ECM is a hierarchical porous medium composed of fibril bundles (at a micrometer scale) and a filled gel-like matrix (at a nanometer scale), which keeps organs in place and attaches epithelial tissues to other underlying tissues [2]. The hierarchical structure of the ECM determines its physical characteristics, which affect the growth and development of organisms [3]. The number of fiber structures and their arrangement within the ECM differ across various tissues and organs; the state of the body and its constituent processes are affected upon changing the state of these fibers [4,5]. Cells in the ECM undergo changes in their phenotype as a function of the force around their fiber attachment points [4,5]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion