Integration of functionalized biomacromolecules and synthetic hydrogels generate biomimetic, mechanically robust and cytocompatible tissue scaffolds. With the use of concurrent photoinitiated thiol-ene and thiol-yne click chemistries form a covalently-crosslinked network of gelatin methacrylamide and multi-arm poly(ethylene glycol).  Compared to physically incorporated gelatin, the covalent networks retain a higher protein content providing superior physical properties and bioactivity. The bioactive hydrogel supports both endothelial cell adherence and smooth muscle cell encapsulation; moreover, the improved mechanical properties were exploited in fabricating cell-encapsulating microfibers. We employed a microfluidic method for the production of microscale fibers and tubes from macromer solutions. By inducing spatial control of material and cellular composition by hydrodynamic focusing, the macromer precursor fluids can be arranged into complex patterns at the microscale. Microtubes have been fabricated on the scale of the arterioles and venules; �capillary-sized� fibers can also be achieved with this method. Microfluidic production of individual blood vessels will provide the necessary level of architectural and cellular control at the microscale for building a tissue model with a complex vascular network.

Biohybrid matrices: Hydrogels formed by composite thiol click chemistries and microflow synthesis

248th National Meeting (2014)

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