Lou Junzhe, Mooney David J
Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA.
Nat Rev Chem. 2022 Oct;6(10):726-744. doi: 10.1038/s41570-022-00420-7. Epub 2022 Aug 30.
Two-dimensional and three-dimensional cell culture systems are widely used for biological studies, and are the basis of the organoid, tissue engineering and organ-on-chip research fields in applications such as disease modelling and drug screening. The natural extracellular matrix of tissues, a complex scaffold with varying chemical and mechanical properties, has a critical role in regulating important cellular functions such as spreading, migration, proliferation and differentiation, as well as tissue morphogenesis. Hydrogels are biomaterials that are used in cell culture systems to imitate critical features of a natural extracellular matrix. Chemical strategies to synthesize and tailor the properties of these hydrogels in a controlled manner, and manipulate their biological functions in situ, have been developed. In this Review, we provide the rational design criteria for predictably engineering hydrogels to mimic the properties of the natural extracellular matrix. We highlight the advances in using biocompatible strategies to engineer hydrogels for cell culture along with recent developments to dynamically control the cellular environment by exploiting stimuli-responsive chemistries. Finally, future opportunities to engineer hydrogels are discussed, in which the development of novel chemical methods will probably have an important role.
二维和三维细胞培养系统广泛应用于生物学研究，是类器官、组织工程和芯片器官研究领域的基础，可用于疾病建模和药物筛选等应用。组织的天然细胞外基质是一种具有不同化学和机械特性的复杂支架，在调节细胞的重要功能（如铺展、迁移、增殖和分化）以及组织形态发生方面起着关键作用。水凝胶是用于细胞培养系统的生物材料，用于模仿天然细胞外基质的关键特征。已经开发出化学策略来以可控方式合成和定制这些水凝胶的特性，并原位操纵其生物学功能。在本综述中，我们提供了可预测地设计水凝胶以模仿天然细胞外基质特性的合理设计标准。我们强调了使用生物相容性策略来设计用于细胞培养的水凝胶的进展，以及利用刺激响应化学动态控制细胞环境的最新进展。最后，讨论了设计水凝胶的未来机会，其中新型化学方法的开发可能会发挥重要作用。
