FABRICATION OF PATTERNED HYDROGELS WITH CONTROLLED MECHANICAL PROPERTIES USING CHEMICALLY MODIFIED RLPS

In our study, we created hydrogels containing selectively polymerized regions with distinct mechanical properties by photopolymerizing chemically modified resilin-like polypeptides (RLPs) under a variety of conditions. To promote the formation of microstructures, we utilized a poly(ethylene glycol) crosslinker and employed Digital Micromirror Display (DMD) techniques to pattern the hydrogel. The microstructures of the hydrogels were analyzed using various methods, such as confocal microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, while the local mechanical properties were determined through atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements. Overall, our work demonstrates a versatile approach for creating hydrogels with spatially varying mechanical properties. The mechanical properties, both inside and outside the illuminated region, can furthermore be adjusted by adding a crosslinker. We find that the microstructure of the hydrogel is different when the hydrogel is crosslinked via DMD compared to a UV lamp, providing an additional method for material property control. These results have potential applications in various fields, including tissue engineering and drug delivery, where the ability to precisely control mechanical properties and microstructures is critical for achieving desired outcomes.