Developing a temperature responsive hydrogel-based platform for cell manipulation

Abstract

Transferring cells cultured in an artificial environment (i.e. in vitro) to the target locations in vivo, especially damaged tissues, represents a promising strategy for assisted wound healing. Despite the advancements in cell culture technology, conventional methods are still widely used for cell transfer, during which cells are detached from the substrates using chemicals or mechanical forces and then transferred as individual cells suspending in solution. Maintaining the multicellular structure during cell transfer remains as a challenge. Hydrogels are widely used in the biomedical industry due to their unique properties. There is a prospect in designing a smart hydrogel platform for the manipulation of biological cells. Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) is a thermo-responsive polymer that undergoes a reversible lower critical solution temperature phase at 32°C. Incorporating this polymer into hydrogel systems would enable the hydrogel to undergo significant structural changes in response to a change in temperature. Experiments were conducted to study the feasibility of incorporating thermo-responsive polymer into PAA hydrogels. Two types of thermo-responsive chemical compounds were used, the monomer, NIPAM and the polymer, PNIPAM. Hydrogels of different formulation were subjected to a temperature change and the change in their physical properties was evaluated. The paper also analysed the biocompatibility and efficiency of cell release for different formulations of hydrogels.