Three S: Smart Multi Stimuli-responsive Supports for Controlled Cell Growth
Katrin Unger, Anna Coclite
15:00 - 17:00 Thursday 23 October 2014 Rechbauerstrasse 12, HSII Human tissue cells sense and response to each other as well as to their local environment, the extracellular matrix. The effects of the mechanical stiffness of the extracellular matrix to cell shape, mobility, and especial stem-cell differentiation has become an interesting research field.
The overall vision of this project is to develop a light-responsive hydrogel suitable as a substrate for cell cultures. A change in polarity after the isomerization of the embedded azobenzene group upon illumination can induce a different water uptake in the hydrogel film. Achieving a precise control over the water uptake through light irradiation will be used to induce controlled and reversible changes in the stiffness and elasticity of the hydrogel, which will influence cell growth, proliferation and tissue formation.
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