Engineering functional hydrogel microparticle interfaces by controlled oxygen-inhibited photopolymerization
Daniel Debroy1, Katie Dongmei Li-Oakey1, John Oakey1
1Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, United States.
Colloids and Surfaces. B, Biointerfaces
|May 13, 2019
Summary
Researchers created functional poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) hydrogel microparticles for detecting biomolecules. Controlled photopolymerization and modeling yielded tailored particles with specific interfaces for advanced biosensing applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Biotechnology
- Chemical Engineering
Background:
- Poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) hydrogels are versatile biomaterials.
- Microfluidic devices offer precise control over particle fabrication.
- Detecting bioactive macromolecules requires advanced material platforms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To fabricate functional PEGDA hydrogel microparticles for detecting bioactive macromolecules.
- To characterize hydrogel network functionalization and architecture.
- To enable the generation of tailored particles for multiplexed biomolecular sensing.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication using oxygen-inhibited photopolymerization in a droplet microfluidic device.
- Characterization via biotin-avidin binding assay to assess network inhomogeneities.
- Corroboration using a reaction-diffusion model to simulate photopolymerization kinetics.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated radial network inhomogeneities dependent on exposure conditions.
- Validated empirical results with a reaction-diffusion model.
- Showcased control over spatial photopolymerization kinetics and mesh network formation.
Conclusions:
- Controlled photopolymerization and predictive modeling enable tailored hydrogel microparticle generation.
- Microengineered interfaces and crosslinking gradients dictate solute diffusivity and elasticity.
- This approach enhances the utility of hydrogel particles for size-excluding, multifunctional biomolecular sensing.
Related Concept Videos
00:46Feedback Inhibition
57.0K
Biochemical reactions are occurring constantly in cells, converting starting substances to different products, usually with the help of enzymes that speed the reactions. Without enzymes, it would take far too long for most reactions to occur to be useful to the cell!
57.0K
02:04Protein-protein Interfaces
14.6K
Many proteins form complexes to carry out their functions, making protein-protein interactions (PPIs) essential for an organism's survival. Most PPIs are stabilized by numerous weak noncovalent chemical forces. The physical shape of the interfaces determines the way two proteins interact. Many globular proteins have closely-matching shapes on their surfaces, which form a large number of weak bonds. Additionally, many PPIs occur between two helices or between a surface cleft and a...
14.6K
02:04Protein-Protein Interfaces
4.4K
4.4K
01:21Transfer Function in Control Systems
1.5K
The transfer function is a fundamental concept in the analysis and design of linear time-invariant (LTI) systems. It offers a concise way to understand how a system responds to different inputs in the frequency domain. It serves as a bridge between the time-domain differential equations that describe system dynamics and the frequency-domain representation that facilitates easier manipulation and analysis.
To derive the transfer function, consider a general nth-order linear time-invariant...
To derive the transfer function, consider a general nth-order linear time-invariant...
1.5K
00:49What is Genetic Engineering?
79.9K
Overview
79.9K
01:30Enzyme Inhibition
91.8K
Inhibitors are molecules that reduce enzyme activity by binding to the enzyme. In a normally functioning cell, enzymes are regulated by a variety of inhibitors. Drugs and other toxins can also inhibit enzymes. Some inhibitors bind to the enzyme’s active site, while others inhibit enzymatic activity by binding to other sites on the protein structure.
91.8K