Dynamic bond crosslinked poly(γ-glutamic acid)/Salecan derived hydrogel as a platform for 3D cell culture

Hydrogel platform is considered as a feasible solution for 3D cell culture but suffers from many limitations such as polymers selection and crosslinking methods. Herein, dynamic bond crosslinked hydrogels (marked as PS) with "breathable" channels were designed based on poly(gamma-glutamic acid) and Salecan. The adipic dihydrazide grafted poly(gamma-glutamic acid) maintains the pH sensitive property while providing functional group for the reversible bond formation. Equilibrium water content, swelling and degradation behavior, morphology, dynamic rheology and cytotoxicity assay were investigated to characterize the hydrogels' properties. The HeLa cells were encapsulated in PS hydrogels to determine their feasibility as platform for 3D cell culture. All the results revealed PS hydrogels possessed many adjustable properties and excellent biological functions to maintain cell growth and proliferation. Therefore, PS hydrogels can be served as a promising platform for cell culture and also expected to apply in many other medical fields. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.