Advancements in Hydrogel Applications for Mechanobiological Research and Mechanomedicine
Oleg Kolosov 1*
Biosensors and Nanotheranostics 1(1) 1-8 https://doi.org/10.25163/biosensors.119976
Submitted: 10 October 2022 Revised: 26 December 2022 Published: 26 December 2022
Abstract
Background: Photopolymerised poly(2-Methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) (MPC) hydrogels have gained significant interest in biomedical applications, particularly in mechanobiology and mechanomedicine, due to their tunable mechanical properties and biocompatibility. This study aims to investigate the swelling and mechanical behaviors of poly(MPC) hydrogels crosslinked with different agents to assess their suitability for biomedical applications. Methods: Two sets of photopolymerised MPC hydrogels were synthesized by free-radical polymerization under ultraviolet (UV) light (365 nm, 3200 W/m²) for 10 minutes using 0.5 w/v% 2,2-Dimethoxy-2-phenylacetophenone (DMPA) as a photoinitiator. In the first experiment, 25 w/v% MPC was crosslinked with pentaerythritol tetraacrylate (PETA) at varying concentrations. In the second experiment, the same MPC concentration was crosslinked with tetraethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA). Hydrogel appearance and chemical composition were characterized using attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. Swelling volume and rheological properties were assessed after two days of swelling in distilled water at room temperature. In a third experiment, 3 v/v% propargyl methacrylate (PgMA) was polymerized with 25 w/v% MPC and 15 v/v% TEGDMA, and alkyne group incorporation was confirmed via ATR-FTIR. Results: Poly(MPC-PETA) appeared white, whereas poly(MPC-TEGDMA) was transparent. ATR-FTIR spectra confirmed successful polymerization by identifying the functional groups in MPC, PETA, and TEGDMA. Both poly(MPC-PETA) and poly(MPC-TEGDMA) hydrogels exhibited a decrease in swelling volume and an increase in storage modulus with higher crosslinker concentrations. The poly(PgMA-MPC-TEGDMA) hydrogel exhibited a storage modulus of 31.6 Pa, and the presence of alkyne groups was confirmed by ATR-FTIR analysis. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that poly(MPC) hydrogels exhibit tunable swelling and mechanical properties depending on the type and concentration of crosslinkers used. The findings provide valuable insights for optimizing hydrogel formulations for biomedical applications, particularly in mechanobiology and mechanomedicine.
Keywords: Photopolymerisation, MPC hydrogels, Swelling behavior, Mechanical properties, Biomedical applications
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