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Cytoskeletal stiffening in synthetic hydrogels
Cytoskeletal stiffening in synthetic hydrogels
- Source :
- Nature Communications, 'Nature Communications ', vol: 10, pages: 609-1-609-8 (2019), Nature Communications, 10, pp. 1-8, Nature Communications, 10:609. Nature Publishing Group, Nature Communications, Vol 10, Iss 1, Pp 1-8 (2019), Nature Communications, 10, 1-8
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Abstract
- Although common in biology, controlled stiffening of hydrogels in vitro is difficult to achieve; the required stimuli are commonly large and/or the stiffening amplitudes small. Here, we describe the hierarchical mechanics of ultra-responsive hybrid hydrogels composed of two synthetic networks, one semi-flexible and stress-responsive, the other flexible and thermoresponsive. Heating collapses the flexible network, which generates internal stress that causes the hybrid gel to stiffen up to 50 times its original modulus; an effect that is instantaneous and fully reversible. The average generated forces amount to ~1 pN per network fibre, which are similar to values found for stiffening resulting from myosin molecular motors in actin. The excellent control, reversible nature and large response gives access to many biological and bio-like applications, including tissue engineering with truly dynamic mechanics and life-like matter.<br />Although common in biology, controlled stiffening of hydrogels in vitro is difficult to achieve. Here the authors show how a biomimetic hybrid hydrogel can be stiffened instantaneously and reversibly up to 50 times.
- Subjects :
- 0301 basic medicine
Materials science
Science
Cancer development and immune defence Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences [Radboudumc 2]
General Physics and Astronomy
Modulus
02 engineering and technology
Myosins
General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
Article
03 medical and health sciences
All institutes and research themes of the Radboud University Medical Center
X-Ray Diffraction
Elastic Modulus
Myosin
Scattering, Small Angle
Molecular motor
medicine
Spectroscopy and Catalysis
Humans
lcsh:Science
Cytoskeleton
BIOMATERIALS
Multidisciplinary
Tissue Engineering
Molecular Materials
Temperature
Stiffness
Hydrogels
STIFFNESS
General Chemistry
MECHANICAL-PROPERTIES
021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology
musculoskeletal system
Actins
Stiffening
Biomechanical Phenomena
NETWORKS
030104 developmental biology
Self-healing hydrogels
Biophysics
lcsh:Q
Stress, Mechanical
medicine.symptom
0210 nano-technology
Internal stress
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 20411723
- Volume :
- 10
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Nature Communications
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....7320580250e55c8c5d45a1cac5f826e4
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-08569-4