Promotion of Cell Migration into a Hydrophobically modified Alaska Pollock Gelatin‐Based Hydrogel

• Published in: Macromolecular Bioscience
• Main Authors: Mizuno, Yosuke, Taguchi, Tetsushi
• Other Authors: National Institute for Materials Science, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 2019
• Subjects: alaska pollock; Alaska
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/mabi.201900083; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Fmabi.201900083; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/mabi.201900083; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1002/mabi.201900083; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/am-pdf/10.1002%2Fmabi.201900083

Abstract In situ chemically cross‐linkable hydrogels composed of hexyl group–modified Alaska pollock–derived gelatin (C6‐ApGltn) and poly(ethylene glycol)‐based four‐armed cross‐linker is developed. Water droplets are quickly absorbed into the C6‐ApGltn hydrogel in the first 10 s compared with original ApGltn (Org‐ApGltn), and the final contact angle on C6‐ApGltn is significantly lower than that on Org‐ApGltn. Using a fluorescent probe, an increase in fluorescence intensity on C6‐ApGltn compared to that on Org‐ApGltn is found, indicating the formation of a hydrophobic pocket. Moreover, the promotion of cell migration into the C6‐ApGltn hydrogel is observed in vitro and in vivo compared with Org‐ApGltn hydrogel, despite no significant difference in elastic modulus. Therefore, the C6‐ApGltn hydrogel could potentially be used as a supporting material for cell transplantation and tissue/organ engineering.