2018 Fiscal Year Annual Research Report
Preparation of stretchable collagen hydrogels introduced by supramolecular cross-linkers
| Project/Area Number |
18J14112
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| Research Institution | Tokyo Medical and Dental University |
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Principal Investigator |
LEE Daehoon 東京医科歯科大学, 大学院医歯学総合研究科, 特別研究員(DC2)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2018-04-25 – 2020-03-31
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| Keywords | Stretchable hydrogel / Polyrotaxane / Slide-ring gel / Gelatin |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
In condition of the external forces which occurred from damaged tissues, gelatin hydrogel has been difficult to be applied as biomaterials due to less mechanical properties although it has high biocompatibility. To overcome difficulty in biomedical application of gelatin hydrogels, functionalized cross-linkers based on polyrotaxane (PRX) were synthesized for improving mechanical properties of gelatin hydrogels. Stretchability and toughness of gelatin hydrogels cross-linked by PRXs were improved by molecular mobility as intrinsic properties of PRXs compared to those of conventional cross-linkers. This study showed possibility of gelatin hydrogels cross-linked by PRXs in biomedical application in aspect of mechanical properties of biomaterials which should endure severally external forces.
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
2: Research has progressed on the whole more than it was originally planned.
Reason
PRX cross-linkers for cross-linking gelatin hydrogels were synthesized and cross-linked with gelatin molecules by activation of PRXs through EDC/NHS reagents. It was demonstrated that toughness and elongation of gelatin hydrogels cross-linked by CME-PRXs were improved compared to those of only EDC/NHS.
Collagen was replaced to gelatin because of difficulty of homogeneous cross-linking by triple helix conformation. Even if the material for this study was changed, gelatin is biopolymer prepared from collagen and has difficulty as biomaterials in biomedical application. For these reasons, it was considered that a study on stretchable and tough gelatin hydrogels is also required. Besides, because the research plan in year 2018 was realized, my research situation was evaluated to 2nd choice.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
Tensile strength test in the gelatin hydrogels cross-linked by PRX cross-linkers will be evaluated to demonstrate the regulation of mechanical properties by variable molecular mobility of PRX cross-linkers. Based on the results of mechanical properties of gelatin hydrogels, regulation of cell adhesion by molecular mobility of PRX cross-linkers in gelatin hydrogels will be evaluated by phase-contrast image of cells on the gelatin hydrogels. Besides, actin/DAPI and YAP staining will be conducted to evaluate the difference of actin cytoskeletal organization and nuclear YAP localization of MSCs by molecular mobility of PRX cross-linkers in gelatin hydrogels. And then, evaluation of osteogenic differentiation of MSCs by molecular mobility of PRX cross-linkers will be conducted.
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