Tuning of elasticity and surface properties of hydrogel cell culture substrates by simple chemical approach

Sylwia Fiejdasz; Wojciech Horak; Joanna Lewandowska-Łańcucka; Michał Szuwarzyński; Józef Salwiński; Maria Nowakowska

doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2018.04.004

Tuning of elasticity and surface properties of hydrogel cell culture substrates by simple chemical approach

J Colloid Interface Sci. 2018 Aug 15:524:102-113. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2018.04.004. Epub 2018 Apr 3.

Authors

Sylwia Fiejdasz¹, Wojciech Horak², Joanna Lewandowska-Łańcucka³, Michał Szuwarzyński⁴, Józef Salwiński², Maria Nowakowska⁵

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 2, 30-387 Kraków, Poland; AGH University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Physics and Applied Computer Science, Department of Solid State Physics, Al. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Kraków, Poland. Electronic address: fiejdasz@agh.edu.pl.
² AGH University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Robotics, Department of Machine Design and Technology, Al. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Kraków, Poland.
³ Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 2, 30-387 Kraków, Poland.
⁴ Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 2, 30-387 Kraków, Poland; AGH University of Science and Technology, Academic Centre for Materials and Nanotechnology, Al. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Krakow, Poland.
⁵ Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 2, 30-387 Kraków, Poland. Electronic address: nowakows@chemia.uj.edu.pl.

PMID: 29635083
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2018.04.004

Abstract

When designing materials for tissue engineering applications various parameters characterizing both materials and tissue have to be taken into account. The characteristics such as chemistry, elasticity, wettability, roughness and morphology of the substrate's surface have significant impact on cell behavior. The paper presents biopolymer (collagen/chitosan) based hydrogel materials with tunable elasticity and surface properties useful for fabrication of substrates for cell culture. Using simple chemical approach involving the change in concentration of crosslinking agent (genipin) and composition of the reaction mixture the hydrogels characterized with various features were obtained. Detailed analysis of morphology, topography, roughness and elasticity of surface performed using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and rheological measurements has shown that the topographical aspects and roughness parameter can be modulated in nanoscale regime (13-47 nm). Substrate's elasticity could be modified in a wide range (0.2-270 kPa). Biological in vitro studies on fibroblasts behavior revealed that the materials prepared provide satisfactory conditions for cell culture, ensuring their high viability, good adhesion and normal morphology. The genipin crosslinked collagen-chitosan hydrogels characterized by denser fiber structure, higher elasticity and lower surface roughness are the most attractive supports for fibroblasts cultivation. The results obtained indicate that the properties of the materials developed can be easily tailored to the needs of the given type of cells.

Keywords: Cell culture substrates; Chitosan; Collagen; Hydrogels; Tunable properties.