Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 26, 2026

Image-guided, Laser-based Fabrication of Vascular-derived Microfluidic Networks

Image-guided, Laser-based Fabrication of Vascular-derived Microfluidic Networks

Published on: January 3, 2017

Multi-gradient hydrogels produced layer by layer with capillary flow and crosslinking in open microchannels.

Francesco Piraino¹, Gulden Camci-Unal, Matthew J Hancock

¹Center for Biomedical Engineering, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.

|December 15, 2011

Summary

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

In situ three-dimensional printing for reparative and regenerative therapy.

Biomedical microdevices·2019

Same author

A Perspective on 3D Bioprinting in Tissue Regeneration.

Bio-design and manufacturing·2019

Same author

Sutureless repair of corneal injuries using naturally derived bioadhesive hydrogels.

Science advances·2019

Same author

Hierarchically Patterned Polydopamine-Containing Membranes for Periodontal Tissue Engineering.

ACS nano·2019

Same author

A Microfabricated Sandwiching Assay for Nanoliter and High-Throughput Biomarker Screening.

Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany)·2019

Same author

A simple layer-stacking technique to generate biomolecular and mechanical gradients in photocrosslinkable hydrogels.

Biofabrication·2019

Researchers developed a simple bench-top method to create anisotropic hydrogels with customizable gradient layers. This technique simplifies the production of complex hydrogels for advanced cellular microenvironments.

Area of Science:

Biomaterials Science
Tissue Engineering
Polymer Chemistry

Background:

Hydrogels are crucial biomaterials for tissue engineering and drug delivery.
Creating anisotropic hydrogels with controlled gradients is challenging.
Existing methods often lack accessibility and scalability.

Purpose of the Study:

To present a novel, accessible bench-top method for fabricating anisotropic hydrogels with gradient layers.
To demonstrate the versatility of the method in creating gradients of various properties.
To facilitate the development of more biologically relevant engineered tissues.

Main Methods:

A droplet-based method utilizing capillary flow to generate gradient precursor solutions.
Iterative layering and crosslinking to construct multi-layered gradient hydrogels.

More Related Videos

Construction of Modular Hydrogel Sheets for Micropatterned Macro-scaled 3D Cellular Architecture

Construction of Modular Hydrogel Sheets for Micropatterned Macro-scaled 3D Cellular Architecture

Published on: January 11, 2016

Gradient Strain Chip for Stimulating Cellular Behaviors in Cell-laden Hydrogel

Gradient Strain Chip for Stimulating Cellular Behaviors in Cell-laden Hydrogel

Published on: August 8, 2017

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 26, 2026

Image-guided, Laser-based Fabrication of Vascular-derived Microfluidic Networks

Image-guided, Laser-based Fabrication of Vascular-derived Microfluidic Networks

Published on: January 3, 2017

Construction of Modular Hydrogel Sheets for Micropatterned Macro-scaled 3D Cellular Architecture

Construction of Modular Hydrogel Sheets for Micropatterned Macro-scaled 3D Cellular Architecture

Published on: January 11, 2016

Gradient Strain Chip for Stimulating Cellular Behaviors in Cell-laden Hydrogel

Gradient Strain Chip for Stimulating Cellular Behaviors in Cell-laden Hydrogel

Published on: August 8, 2017

Characterization of gradient properties including soluble factors, particles, and material properties.

Main Results:

Successfully produced anisotropic hydrogels with distinct gradient layers.
Demonstrated control over gradient composition and material properties.
The method is adaptable for creating hydrogels with desired numbers of gradient layers.

Conclusions:

The described bench-top technique offers a simplified and accessible approach to synthesizing multi-layered gradient hydrogels.
This method has the potential to advance the creation of sophisticated cellular microenvironments for research and therapeutic applications.
The technique democratizes the production of complex hydrogels, enabling broader scientific exploration.