The dual self-assembly network: A new chapter in 3D-printable hydrogels
Why it matters: This CGB hydrogel provides a powerful tool for 3D printing in regenerative medicine, enabling more biocompatible environments for embedded cells.
- National Taiwan University (NTU) research team, led by Professor Shan-hui Hsu, developed the CGB hydrogel system using gallol-functionalized chitosan (CG) and boronic acid-functionalized chitosan (CB).
- The CGB hydrogel can be extruded through a 160 μm nozzle and stably stacked up to 60 layers at only 2 wt% solid content, representing a major leap in biofabrication.
- This smart material responds to chemical signals like glucose, allowing it to be used as a sacrificial material to fabricate intricate, hierarchical microfluidic channels, including complex 90°-rotated H-shaped architectures.
- The CGB hydrogel exhibits potent antimicrobial activity and over 90% cell viability, making it a bioactive platform for future regenerative medicine applications, as noted by corresponding author Shan-hui Hsu.
Researchers at National Taiwan University (NTU) have developed a groundbreaking CGB hydrogel, a 3D-printable material that mimics biological tissue by balancing strength and fluidity through dynamic covalent bonds. This innovative hydrogel, detailed in Carbohydrate Polymers, can be extruded with precision to create complex microfluidic channels and offers a bioactive platform for regenerative medicine.
