Clickable Microgel Scaffolds as Platforms for 3D Cell Encapsulation

While microporous scaffolds are increasingly used for regenerative medicine and tissue repair applications, the most common techniques to fabricate these scaffolds use templating or top-down fabrication approaches. Cytocompatible bottom-up assembly methods afford the opportunity to assemble microporous systems in the presence of cells and create complex polymer-cell composite systems in situ. Here, microgel building blocks with clickable surface groups are synthesized for the bottom-up fabrication of porous cell-laden scaffolds. The facile nature of assembly allows for human mesenchymal stem cells to be incorporated throughout the porous scaffold. Particles are designed with mean diameters of ≈10 and 100 µm, and assembled to create varied microenvironments. The resulting pore sizes and their distribution significantly alter cell morphology and cytoskeletal formation. This microgel-based system provides numerous tunable properties that can be used to control multiple aspects of cellular growth and development, as well as providing the ability to recapitulate various biological interfaces.