Printable hybrid hydrogel by dual enzymatic polymerization with superactivity

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Developing advanced hydrogels with enhanced mechanical properties is crucial for biomedical applications.
• Hybrid hydrogels combining supramolecular and polymeric characteristics offer unique advantages.
• Enzyme-mediated polymerization presents a versatile platform for hydrogel fabrication.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel method for fabricating tough hybrid hydrogels using dual enzyme-mediated redox initiation.
• To investigate the properties and potential applications of these hybrid hydrogels.
• To demonstrate the feasibility of using these hydrogels for 3D printing and cell culture.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of hybrid hydrogels via dual enzyme-mediated redox initiation and post-self-assembly cross-linking polymerization.
• Utilizing in situ 3D printing for constructing designed 3D constructs.
• Immobilizing glucose oxidase (GOx) and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) within the hydrogel matrix.
• Evaluating mechanical strength, reusability, thermal stability, and biocompatibility through cell culture studies.

Main Results:

• The developed hybrid hydrogel exhibited superior mechanical strength and porous networks by combining supramolecular and polymeric hydrogel properties.
• In situ immobilized GOx/HRP showed enhanced activity due to co-localization, improving mass transport.
• The hydrogel demonstrated high reusability, thermal stability, and biocompatibility.
• Successful in situ 3D cell culture and 3D cell printing were achieved.

Conclusions:

• The dual enzyme-mediated approach successfully produced mechanically robust and reusable hybrid hydrogels.
• The hydrogel's biocompatibility and suitability for 3D cell printing highlight its potential as a scaffold.
• This innovative hydrogel is a promising candidate for biocatalysis and tissue engineering, advancing bio-related applications.