Why self-assembling peptide hydrogels flow under shear and re-heal after it: the mechanism, the rheology tests that matter, and rules for injection and printing.
This article sets out the four classes of composite, explains why charge compatibility decides whether a blend succeeds or precipitates, and gives a practical route to designing and characterising a composite based on PeptiGel.
Matrigel is widely used to support inoculated cancer cells as they establish tumours in mouse cancer models. But the poorly defined nature of Matrigel, and the high levels of cytokines it contains, may be confounding the interpretation of data.
Hydrogels provide physical support and bioactive stimulation. Choosing the right hydrogel for an application is critical, but narrowing down candidates from the huge choice available is a daunting task.
Among all adult human tissues, the brain occupies the extreme low end of the mechanical stiffness spectrum. While the body contains structures engineered for load bearing, tension, and compression, the brain is optimized for signalling, plasticity, and metabolic exchange. Its mechanical softness is not incidental. It is fundamental to its biological function.
Studies reported in Science and Nature Materials using Softwell highlight the importance of softness in cell behaviour. The study of cell signalling has traditionally focused on chemical cues such as growth factors, cytokines, transcriptional regulators and, more recently, extracellular vesicles (EVs) as the primary drivers of cell behaviour. Yet cells do not exist in isolation. Every cell resides in a physical environment that pushes, pulls, resists and deforms it. Increasingly, research is showing that this physical context is not secondary, but fundamental.
Critical gaps between experimental models and clinical reality are the reason why clinical trials of promising drugs often fail. Closing those gaps can save huge amounts of money lost to failed trials. The right scaffold is critical to model accuracy
Often overlooked, matrix stiffness is hugely important to the behaviour of cells. A recent study of prostate cancer cells using gels of varying stiffness reveals mechanistic insights.
Using lasers, hydrogels and sustained release neurotropic growth factors, researchers in Switzerland have developed a sophisticated nerve conduit system to repair non-union nerve damage.
RADA16, the pioneer in the field of self-assembling peptide hydrogels, is inflexible (figuratively at least) and can be difficult to use. PeptiGel is winning out with clever refinement, bespoke formulation and a ready-to-use format.
