This book reviews the current knowledge on tunable hydrogels, including the range of different materials and applications, as well as the existing challenges and limitations in the field. It covers various aspects of the material design, particularly highlighting biological responsiveness, degradability and responsiveness to external stimuli. In this book, readers will discover original research data and state-of-the-art reviews in the area of hydrogel technology, with a specific focus on biotechnology and medicine. Written by leading experts, the contributions outline strategies for designing tunable hydrogels and offer a detailed evaluation of the physical and synthetic methods currently employed to achieve specific hydrogel properties and responsiveness. This highly informative book provides important theoretical and practical insights for scholars and researchers working with hydrogels for biomedical and biotechnological applications.

Due to their unique properties, chitosan-based materials have emerged as useful resources in a variety of medicines, drug controlled-release carriers, tissue engineering scaffolds, and immobilized enzymes. But many of these materials have yet to reach the commercial market. Therefore, more work must be completed to fill the gap between research and

The extracellular matrix is highly influential in regulating cell fate and function in vivo. Biophysical cues from the microenvironment are involved in nearly every cellular phenomenon, from initial embryogenesis to diseases such as atherosclerosis and cancer. This dissertation seeks to develop 3D hydrogel models to more accurately recapitulate the in vivo microenvironment by allowing for temporal modulation of stiffness. A strategy is presented to spatially and temporally tune the mechanical properties of 3D alginate-based hydrogels using a light-triggered mechanism. This approach is demonstrated to be cytocompatible and highly tunable. The system is employed to elucidate the morphological response of fibroblasts to stiffening 3D environments. Additionally, the platform is translated to an in vivo application of transdermal gel modulation. Finally, the phototunable hydrogels are used to evaluate the effect of matrix stiffening on breast epithelial cells in a mechanical environment that mimics tumor stiffening. Changes in the mechanical properties of the gel induce phenotypic changes to MCF10A epithelial cells, including collective cell migration from the mammary acini. This system is broadly applicable to the biomaterials community and could shed light on a number of outstanding biological questions.

Sustainable Hydrogels: Synthesis, Properties and Applications highlights the development of sustainable hydrogels from various perspectives and covers a range of topics, including the development and utilization of abundant and/or inexpensive biorenewable monomers to create hydrogels; the mimicry of variable properties inherent to successful commercial hydrogels; and the creation of bio-based hydrogels that are functional equivalents of fossil fuel-derived hydrogels with respect to their properties, yet are capable of benign degradation over much shorter timescales. Some of the challenges facing sustainable polymer chemistry are also discussed. - Shifts the focus from theory to practice and demonstrates how the cradle-to-cradle approach support sustainability - Includes discussion of life cycle assessments in the production and use of hydrogels - Presents various materials for the production of hydrogels

The first comprehensive survey of state-of-the-art tunable micro-optics, covering advances in materials, components and systems.

This book introduces readers to the latest advances in hydrogel biomaterials, mainly focusing on the emerging areas of synthetic and biopolymer hydrogels formed through specially designed chemical or physical crosslinking, and the cyclodextrin-based host-guest supramolecular self-assembly, for cell encapsulation, cell expansion, cell differentiation and tissue repair, stem cell culture, and cellular therapy and drug delivery applications. The book was written by experts at the forefront of these interdisciplinary areas and is intended for all researchers working in the fields of biomaterials and biomedical engineering, as well as medical professions. Jun Li is a Professor at the Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore. Yoshihito Osada is a Professor at RIKEN Advanced Science Institute, Japan. Justin Cooper-White is a Professor at the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland, Australia.

Polymeric Gels: Characterization, Properties and Biomedical Applications covers the fundamentals and applications of polymeric gels. Particular emphasis is given to their synthesis, properties and characteristics, with topics such as natural, synthetic, and smart polymeric gels, medical applications, and advancements in conductive and magnetic gels presented. The book covers the basics and applications of hydrogels, providing readers with a comprehensive guide on the types of polymeric gels used in the field of biomedical engineering. - Provides guidance for decisions on the suitability and appropriateness of a synthetic route and characterization technique for particular polymeric networks - Analyzes and compares experimental data - Presents in-depth information on the physical properties of polymeric gels using mathematical models - Uses an interdisciplinary approach to discuss potential new applications for both established polymeric gels and recent advances

Full-thickness skin equivalents used as grafts for the replacement of damaged skin or for the establishment of in vitro skin models are composed of an epidermal layer seeded on top of a dermal compartment. While collagen is principally used as matrix to form the dermal equivalent, materials from animal sources still elicit an ethical dilemma, have weak mechanical properties, batch-to-batch variability and present risk of pathogen transfer. The use of synthetic materials as scaffolds could overcome these disadvantages. Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogels have been extensively used in tissue engineering applications, owing to their biocompatibility and tunable mechanical properties. However, their bio-inert properties require them to be associated with other functional moieties. We propose here to reticulate PEG molecules with poly-L-lysine dendrigrafts (DGL) that, beside serving as multifunctional crosslinkers, could provide inherent biological properties such as cell adhesion to PEG-based hydrogels. To judge the hydrogel's potential as a substrate for biological applications, the cellular response to the material surface, in relation to its composition, was determined. Subsequently, particulate leaching was evaluated as a simple fabrication technique to render the hydrogels porous and allow cell infiltration and colonization in three-dimensions, in view of forming a dermal equivalent. The resulting tissues were investigated in the context of full-thickness skin equivalents. Furthermore, a synthetic elastin-like polypeptide was incorporated to the hydrogels to increase their bioactivity and elastic properties. Finally, in vivo biocompatibility was assessed by subcutaneous implantation in mice.

Multifunctional Hydrogels for Biomedical Applications Comprehensive resource presenting a thorough overview of the biomedical applications of hydrogels This book provides an overview of the development and applications of the clinically relevant hydrogels that are used particularly in tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and drug delivery. Taking a multidisciplinary approach, it goes through the material from chemistry, materials science, biology, medicine, nanotechnology, and bioengineering points of view. Sample topics covered by the three well-qualified editors include: The design, functions, and developments of hydrogels Proteins and polysaccharides that mimic extracellular matrix Generation and applications of supramolecular hydrogels Design and functions of cell encapsulation systems Multifunctional Hydrogels for Biomedical Applications is a useful all-in-one reference work for materials scientists, polymer chemists, and bioengineers which provides a comprehensive, contemporary understanding of hydrogels and their applications targeting a wide variety of pathologies.

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