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Dynamic bioengineered hydrogels as scaffolds for advanced stem cell and organoid culture

  • Biomaterials for 3D Cell Biology Prospective Article
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Abstract

Bioengineered hydrogels enable systematic variation of mechanical and biochemical properties, resulting in the identification of optimal in vitro three-dimensional culture conditions for individual cell types. As the scientific community attempts to mimic and study more complex biologic processes, hydrogel design has become multi-faceted. To mimic organ and tissue heterogeneity in terms of spatial arrangement and temporal changes, hydrogels with spatiotemporal control over mechanical and biochemical properties are needed. In this prospective article, we present studies that focus on the development of hydrogels with dynamic mechanical and biochemical properties, highlighting the discoveries made using these scaffolds.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful for funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (Foundation grant to M.S.S.), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (Discovery grant to M.S.S.), the QEII-GSST graduate student scholarship (to L.C.B.) and the Canada First Research Excellence Fund, Medicine by Design (to M.S.S.).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, 164 College Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S3E1, Canada

    Laura C. Bahlmann & Molly S. Shoichet

  2. Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, 200 College Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3E5, Canada

    Ana Fokina & Molly S. Shoichet

  3. Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3H6, Canada

    Molly S. Shoichet

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  1. Laura C. Bahlmann
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Correspondence to Molly S. Shoichet.

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Bahlmann, L.C., Fokina, A. & Shoichet, M.S. Dynamic bioengineered hydrogels as scaffolds for advanced stem cell and organoid culture. MRS Communications 7, 472–486 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1557/mrc.2017.72

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