@article {17379, title = {Rheological and Mechanical Properties of Acellular and Cellladen Methacrylated Gellan Gum Hydrogels}, journal = {Journal of Biomedical Materials Research: Part A}, volume = {101}, year = {2013}, month = {2013-04-09 00:00:00}, pages = {3438-3446}, publisher = {Wiley Periodicals, Inc}, abstract = {

Tissue engineered hydrogels hold great potential as nucleus pulposus substitutes (NP), as they promote intervertebral disc (IVD) regeneration and re-establish its original function. But, the key to their success in future clinical applications greatly depends on its ability to replicate the native 3D micro-environment and circumvent their limitation in terms of mechanical performance. In the present study, we investigated the rheological/mechanical properties of both ionic- (iGG-MA) and photo-crosslinked methacrylated gellan gum (phGG-MA) hydrogels. Steady shear analysis, injectability and confined compression stress-relaxation tests were carried out. The injectability of the reactive solutions employed for the preparation of iGG-MA and phGG-MA hydrogels was firstly studied, then the zero-strain compressive modulus and permeability of the acellular hydrogels were evaluated.In addition, human intervertebral disc (hIVD) cells encapsulated in both iGG-MA and phGG-MA hydrogels were cultured in vitro, and its mechanical properties also investigated under dynamic mechanical analysis at 37{\textordmasculine}C and pH 7.4. After 21 d of culturing, hIVD cells were alive (Calcein AM) and the E{\textquoteright} of ionic-crosslinked hydrogels and photo-crosslinked was higher than that observed for acellular hydrogels. Our study suggests that methacrylated gellan gum hydrogels present promising mechanical and biological performance as hIVD cells were producing extracellular matrix.

}, keywords = {Hydrogels, injectability, Mechanical Properties, methacrylated gellan gum, rheology}, url = {http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jbm.a.34650/abstract}, author = {Silva-Correia, J. and Gloria, A. and Oliveira, M. B. and Mano, J. F. and Oliveira, J. M. and Ambrosio, L. and Reis, R. L.} }