Hydrogel Sample Preparation
Hydrogel Sample Preparation - Related Videos
09:06
Preparation of DNA-crosslinked Polyacrylamide Hydrogels
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Cited by 5 •
2014
Our laboratory has developed DNA-crosslinked polyacrylamide hydrogels, a dynamic hydrogel system, to better understand the effects of modulating tissue stiffness on cell function. Here, we provide schematics, descriptions, and protocols to prepare these hydrogels.
05:24
Preparation of Mechanically Stable Self-Assembled Peptides Hydrogels
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Cited by 1 •
2024
This protocol presents three fast and simple preparation methods that use environmental conditions to trigger the self-assembly of peptides into hydrogels. Additionally, the characterization of peptide hydrogels is described, demonstrating that mechanically stable peptide hydrogels can be formed under these straightforward conditions.
11:31
Preparation of Hydroxy-PAAm Hydrogels for Decoupling the Effects of Mechanotransduction Cues
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Cited by 22 •
2014
We present a new polyacrylamide hydrogel, called hydroxy-PAAm, that allows a direct binding of ECM proteins with minimal cost or expertise. The combination of hydroxy-PAAm hydrogels with microcontact printing facilitates independent control of many cues of the natural cell microenvironment for studying cellular mechanostransduction.
08:05
Preparation of Chitosan-based Injectable Hydrogels and Its Application in 3D Cell Culture
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Cited by 13 •
2017
Here we describe a facile preparation of chitosan-based injectable hydrogels using dynamic imine chemistry. Methods to adjust the hydrogel’s mechanical strength and its application in 3D cell culture are presented.
07:25
Collagen Hydrogels
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2023
Collagen is another widely used biomaterial that has found popularity in commercial applications, such as photography. Collagen has more recently been used in tissue engineering applications, by creating hydrogels that provide structure to engineered tissue. This video introduces collagen as a biomaterial, demonstrates how it is harvested from porcine skin, and shows how the material is used to create a hydrogel for tissue engineering applications. Finally, several applications of the material...
FAQs
Composition, polymer precursor concentration, temperature, pH, and curing time establish the conditions under which the network forms. Adjusting these variables can change swelling, stiffness, and porosity, so each should be recorded and held consistent when samples are compared. This control helps connect processing conditions with measured engineering performance.
The two approaches provide different routes for forming the polymer network during preparation. Because the crosslinking route is a controlled processing variable, it may influence swelling, stiffness, and porosity. Comparing physical and chemical routes under otherwise matched conditions helps identify whether performance differences result from network formation rather than sample shape or handling.
Conditioning helps bring samples to a defined state before they are handled or tested. Hydration, along with controlled temperature, pH, and curing history, can affect the properties observed in water-rich polymer networks. Consistent conditioning reduces variability between specimens and makes comparisons of stiffness, swelling, porosity, or transport behavior more meaningful.
A practical workflow begins by dissolving or dispersing the polymer precursors, then initiating physical or chemical crosslinking under controlled conditions. The forming material can be shaped by molding or later cutting, followed by conditioning and hydration. Depending on the experiment, samples may then be sterilized or functionalized before testing or device integration.
Molding creates defined sample geometries during formation, while cutting allows prepared hydrogels to be fitted to a test or device format. Hydration establishes the water-containing state needed for many measurements, and sterilization supports applications involving tissue interfaces or drug-delivery research. Functionalization can further adapt a sample for sensing or other device-development studies.
Prepared hydrogels provide controlled soft-material samples for mechanical testing, transport studies, sensing, tissue interfaces, and drug-delivery research. In engineering, their value comes from linking preparation conditions with measurable swelling, stiffness, and porosity. Reproducible handling also supports device development by making differences between formulations or processing conditions easier to interpret.