Visible-Light-Mediated Thiol-Ene Hydrogelation Using Eosin-Y as the Only Photoinitiator

• Published in: Macromolecular rapid communications. Vol. 34; no. 3; pp. 269 - 273
• Main Authors: Shih, Han, Lin, Chien-Chi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim WILEY-VCH Verlag 12.02.2013; WILEY‐VCH Verlag; Wiley; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Biocompatible Materials - chemistry; Bone marrow; cell encapsulation; Cell Survival; eosin-Y; Eosine Yellowish-(YS) - chemistry; Exact sciences and technology; Gelation; Human; Humans; Hydrogels; Hydrogels - chemistry; Insulin-Secreting Cells - cytology; Light; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells - cytology; Photoinitiators; photopolymerization; Photosensitizing Agents - chemistry; Physicochemistry of polymers; Polyethylene Glycols - chemistry; Polymerization; Polymerization - radiation effects; Polymers and radiations; Sole; Stem cells; thiol-ene chemistry; Tissue engineering; Tissue Engineering - instrumentation; Utilities; Biological properties; cell encapsulation; photopolymerization; thiol-ene chemistry; Photochemical crosslinking; Stem cell; Priming activity; Cytotoxicity; Oxygen heterocycle; Eosin; Ethylene oxide polymer; Colloidal gel; Visible radiation; Reaction mechanism; Sulfur containing polymer; Organic dye; Swelling; Dithiol; Gelation; hydrogels; Mesenchymal cell; Experimental study; In vitro; Photoinitiator; Kinetics; eosin-Y
• ISSN: 1022-1336; 1521-3927
• DOI: 10.1002/marc.201200605

The utility of visible‐light‐mediated polymerization in tissue engineering has been limited due to the necessary use of potentially cytotoxic coinitiator and comonomer. Here, we report a visible‐light‐mediated thiol‐ene hydrogelation scheme using eosin‐Y as the only photoinitiator. Under visible light exposure, rapid and highly tunable step‐growth gelation is achieved using PEG‐norbornene and a model cross‐linker dithiothreitol. In addition to investigating the gelation kinetics and properties of thiol‐ene hydrogels formed by this new gelation scheme, we also report high cytocompatibility of these hydrogels using human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) and pancreatic MIN6 β‐cells. A visible‐light‐mediated hydrogelation scheme is developed for preparing step‐growth thiol‐ene hydrogels. Eosin‐Y is utilized as the sole photoinitiator without adding any cytotoxic components to achieve rapid and tunable gelation. The resulting thiol‐ene hydrogels are cytocompatible to human mesenchymal stem cells and pancreatic MIN6 β‐cells.