Biomimetic hydrogels gate transport of calcium ions across cell culture inserts

Fabrication of submillimeter-sized spherical self-oscillating gels and control of their isotropic volumetric oscillatory behaviors

In this study, we established a fabrication method and analyzed the volumetric self-oscillatory behaviors of submillimeter-sized spherical self-oscillating gels. We validated that the manufactured submillimeter-sized spherical self-oscillating gels exhibited isotropic volumetric oscillations during the Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction. In addition, we experimentally elucidated that the volumetric self-oscillatory behaviors (i.e., period and amplitude) and the oscillatory profiles depended on the following parameters: (1) the molar composition of N-(3-aminopropyl)methacrylamide hydrochloride (NAPMAm) in the gels and (2) the concentration of Ru(bpy)₃-NHS solution containing an active ester group on conjugation. These clarified relationships imply that controlling the amount of Ru(bpy)₃ in the gel network could influence the gel volumetric oscillation during the BZ reaction. These results of submillimeter-sized and spherical self-oscillating gels bridge knowledge gaps in the current field because the gels with corresponding sizes and shapes have not been systematically explored yet. Therefore, our study could be a cornerstone for diverse applications of (self-powered) gels in various scales and shapes, including soft actuators exhibiting life-like functions.

Calcium Carbonate

Calcium carbonate is a chemical compound with the formula CaCO3 formed by three main elements: carbon, oxygen, and calcium. It is a common substance found in rocks in all parts of the world (most notably as limestone), and is the main component of shells of marine organisms, snails, coal balls, pearls, and eggshells. CaCO3 exists in different polymorphs, each with specific stability that depends on a diversity of variables.

Bioresponsive hydrogels

Bioresponsive hydrogels are emerging with technological significance in targeted drug delivery, biosensors, and regenerative medicine. Their ability to respond to specific biologically derived stimuli creates a design challenge in effectively linking the conferred biospecificity with an engineered response tailored to the needs of a particular application. Moreover, the fundamental phenomena governing the response must support an appropriate dynamic range, limit of detection, and the potential for feedback control. The design of these systems is inherently complicated due to the high interdependency of the governing phenomena that guide sensing, transduction, and actuation of the hydrogel. Future advancements in bioresponsive hydrogels will out of necessity contain control loops similar to synthetic metabolic pathways. The use of these materials will continue to expand as they become coupled and integrated with new technologies.

Amperometric glucose biosensor based on electroconductive hydrogels

Fabrication of an enzyme amperometric biosensor for glucose via electropolymerization of pyrrole in the presence of glucose oxidase onto a hydrogel coated platinum electrode is hereby established as a viable biotransducer fabrication method. Platinum micro- (φ=25 μm) and macro- (φ=100 μm) electrodes were electrochemically activated and chemically modified with 3-aminopropyl-trimethoxysilane (APTMS), functionalized with acryloyl(polyethyleneglycol)-N-hydroxysuccinamide (ACRL-PEG-NHS), dipped into a polyHEMA based hydrogel cocktail and UV cross-linked. Electropolymerization of Py in the presence of GOx produced glucose responsive biotransducers that showed; (i) a 4-fold reduction in sensitivity compared with directly electropolymerized PPy films, (ii) an electropolymerization charge density dependence of biotransducer sensitivity and enzyme activity that was maximal at 1.0 mC/cm(2) with an apparent K(M) of 33 mM, (iii) interference screening of ascorbic acid and (iv) a temporal increase in sensitivity with storage over a 17 days period. This method has the ability to precisely and quantitatively add enzyme catalytic bioactivity to metal or semiconductor biointerfaces for applications in biosensors, bioelectronics and bionics.