Traditional 2D cell culture protocols poorly represent in vivo conditions. Methods to allow culturing of patient derived cells in scaffolds that closely mimic the 3D environment would be of great clinical value. Parameters to consider are tissue stiffness, chemical and stiffness gradients, and the ability to co-culture various cell types. This project aimed to create a 3D hydrogel system in a range of stiffness comparable to body tissues while allowing cell growth and differentiation in a 3D environment. The design utilized a fast gelling hydrogel and a cross-linker that allowed controlled stiffness. This was combined with a microfluidic gradient generator to produce a 3D hydrogel with a continuous stiffness gradient. This approach can be a valuable tool for tissue engineering research.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Gorgone, Christopher Robert
• Wiater, Melanie Louise
• Hock, Lindsay Ann
• Hambright, Claire L.

Colaboradores

• Wall, Lisa

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-050114-125739

Advisor

• Wen, Qi
• Ambady, Sakthikumar

Year

• 2014

Date created

• 2014-05-01

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Biomedical Engineering

Rights statement

• In Copyright