Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 24, 2025
09:00
Long-term Intravital Immunofluorescence Imaging of Tissue Matrix Components with Epifluorescence and Two-photon Microscopy
Published on: April 22, 2014
19.6K
Non-invasively visualizing cell-matrix interactions in two-photon excited supramolecular hydrogels
Wei Ji1, Lingling Li, Omolola Eniola-Adefeso
1State Key Lab of Metal Matrix Composites, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, 200240, Shanghai, China. clfeng@sjtu.edu.cn.
Journal of Materials Chemistry. B
|April 9, 2020
Summary
Researchers developed novel fluorescent hydrogels for visualizing cell-matrix interactions in 3D. This breakthrough enables dynamic monitoring of extracellular matrix (ECM) roles in cell behavior for advanced in vitro studies.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Cell Biology
- Supramolecular Chemistry
Background:
- Visualizing extracellular matrix (ECM) in 3D is crucial for understanding cell bioactivities in vitro.
- Current methods struggle to create intrinsically fluorescent 3D biomimetic ECM for non-invasive near-infrared imaging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and synthesize novel coumarin-derived hydrogelators for creating advanced 3D supramolecular hydrogels.
- To enable direct and dynamic visualization of cell-matrix interactions in a 3D environment using two-photon absorption.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of non-conventional coumarin-derived hydrogelators.
- Self-assembly into nanofibrous 3D supramolecular hydrogels via C-HO bonds.
- Two-photon absorption for non-invasive excitation and imaging.
Main Results:
- Successful formation of 3D supramolecular hydrogels with intrinsic fluorescence.
- Demonstration of direct and dynamic visualization of cell-matrix interactions.
- High-resolution imaging in a 3D environment achieved.
Conclusions:
- The developed hydrogelators provide a novel platform for creating biomimetic 3D ECM.
- Enables real-time monitoring of ECM-regulated cell behaviors.
- Facilitates fundamental and applied research in cell biology and tissue engineering.
