Control of Cellular Attachment Using a Bundled Hydrogel Fiber

Abstract

Hydrogels have attracted much attention for their biocompatibility and tunable properties for use in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Cellular adhesion and organization can be controlled by the microstructure of the scaffold. Here, we describe a new cellulose-based bundled hydrogel fiber fabricated by a dynamic microfluidic gelation system that utilizes a phase-separated polymer blend solution and a co-flow microfluidic device. In addition, multi-walled carbon nanotubes were embedded to enhance the mechanical and electrical properties of the gel fibers. Using normal human dermal fibroblasts, we demonstrated the bundled gel fibers facilitate cellular attachment and orientation. These results demonstrate that the bundled gel fiber may be useful in tissue engineering applications as a cell scaffold with tunable properties.