Multifunctional heteroscaled hydrogels integrated with dispersible hybrid nanofibers

Abstract

Hydrogels are widely used as scaffolds for cell and tissue culture applications. However, it is challenging to culture cells in 3D hydrogels at higher mechanical stiffness, as diminished permeability leads to limited diffusion of nutrients and available space for sufficient cellular activities. Herein, a novel strategy of incorporating short, aqueous-dispersible nanofibers into hydrogel is presented. Infusing nanofibers into hydrogel without changing the crosslinking density allowed the control of hydrogel mechanics, while limiting the change in permeability. Furthermore, nanofibers with a conductive polymer helped impart electrical conductivity to the hydrogel, allowing more efficient propagation of externally-applied electrical signals through the hydrogels. The resulting multifunctional nanofiber-infused hydrogels, with controllable mechanical and electrical properties, were utilized as a 3D cell culture platform to study the effects of various microenvironmental conditions.