Canadian Biomaterials Society
Société Canadienne des Biomatériaux

Bioactive Hydrogels Based on Tyramine and Maleimide Functionalized Dextran for Tissue Engineering Applications

Journal: Gels
Authors: Alma Tamunonengiofori Banigo - Lin Zhong
Bram Zoetebier
Marcel Karperien

Hydrogels are widely used in tissue engineering due to their ability to form threedimensional
(3D) structures that support cellular functions and mimic the extracellular matrix (ECM).
Despite their advantages, dextran-based hydrogels lack intrinsic biological activity, limiting their
use in this field. Here, we present a strategy for developing bioactive hydrogels through sequential
thiol–maleimide bio-functionalization and enzyme-catalyzed crosslinking. The hydrogel network is
formed through the reaction of tyramine moieties in the presence of horseradish peroxidase (HRP)
and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), allowing for tunable gelation time and stiffness by adjusting H2O2
concentrations. Maleimide groups on the hydrogel backbone enable the coupling of thiol-containing
bioactive molecules, such as arginylglycylaspartic acid (RGD) peptides, to enhance biological activity.
We examined the effects of hydrogel stiffness and RGD concentration on human mesenchymal stem
cells (hMSCs) during differentiation and found that hMSCs encapsulated within these hydrogels
exhibited over 88% cell viability on day 1 across all conditions, with a slight reduction to 60–81% by
day 14. Furthermore, the hydrogels facilitated adipogenic differentiation, as evidenced by positive
Oil Red O staining. These findings demonstrate that DexTA–Mal hydrogels create a biocompatible
environment that is conducive to cell viability and differentiation, offering a versatile platform for
future tissue engineering applications.

Year: 2024

Volume: 10

PP: 566