A Strategy for Reversible Control of Hydrogel Modulus to Probe Myofibroblast Activation

摘要

Incorporating azobenzene into hydrogel crosslinkers in two separate systems allows for the reversible control of gel modulus with light. Future work will focus on tuning the gel properties to span a modulus range relevant to VIC myofibroblast activation in 3D. For example, additional peptide structures or types of cyclodextrins will be considered to increase the impact of isomerization. Due to their tunability and non-invasive stimulus, these innovative materials may be broadly useful for probing the effect of dynamic stiffness on many cell types.