Methods To Assess Shear-Thinning Hydrogels for Application As Injectable Biomaterials.
Publication/Presentation Date
12-11-2017
Abstract
Injectable hydrogels have gained popularity as a vehicle for the delivery of cells, growth factors, and other molecules to localize and improve their retention at the injection site, as well as for the mechanical bulking of tissues. However, there are many factors, such as viscosity, storage and loss moduli, and injection force, to consider when evaluating hydrogels for such applications. There are now numerous tools that can be used to quantitatively assess these factors, including for shear-thinning hydrogels because their properties change under mechanical load. Here, we describe relevant rheological tests and ways to measure injection force using a force sensor or a mechanical testing machine toward the evaluation of injectable hydrogels. Injectable, shear-thinning hydrogels can be used in a variety of clinical applications, and as an example we focus on methods for injection into the heart, where an understanding of injection properties and mechanical forces is imperative for consistent hydrogel delivery and retention. We discuss methods for delivery of hydrogels to mouse, rat, and pig hearts in models of myocardial infarction, and compare methods of tissue postprocessing for hydrogel preservation. Our intent is that the methods described herein can be helpful in the design and assessment of shear-thinning hydrogels for widespread biomedical applications.
Volume
3
Issue
12
First Page
3146
Last Page
3160
ISSN
2373-9878
Published In/Presented At
Chen, M. H., Wang, L. L., Chung, J. J., Kim, Y. H., Atluri, P., & Burdick, J. A. (2017). Methods To Assess Shear-Thinning Hydrogels for Application As Injectable Biomaterials. ACS biomaterials science & engineering, 3(12), 3146–3160. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsbiomaterials.7b00734
Disciplines
Medicine and Health Sciences
PubMedID
29250593
Department(s)
Department of Surgery
Document Type
Article