Journal: bioRxiv

Article Title: Tuning Scaffold Degradation with Non-Natural Peptidomimetics to Control Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cell Morphology and Vessel Formation

doi: 10.1101/2025.10.27.684851

Figure Lengend Snippet: Storage moduli and equilibrium swelling ratios are similar for NorHA hydrogels fabricated with all crosslinkers. (A) Rheological characterization (storage modulus, G’) of NorHA hydrogels crosslinked with the peptide, hybrid, and peptoid crosslinkers. (B) Equilibrium swelling ratio (Qm) of NorHA hydrogels crosslinked with the peptide, hybrid, and peptoid crosslinkers.

Article Snippet: RGD (GCGYGRGDSPG) and peptide/peptoid crosslinkers were all synthesized by a Prelude X automated peptide synthesizer (Gyros Protein Technologies) on Rink Amide polystyrene resin (0.48 mmol g -1 , Chem-Impex) at a scale of 250 μmol.

Techniques:

Journal: bioRxiv

Article Title: Tuning Scaffold Degradation with Non-Natural Peptidomimetics to Control Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cell Morphology and Vessel Formation

doi: 10.1101/2025.10.27.684851

Figure Lengend Snippet: Hydrogel formation with all crosslinkers is cytocompatible, but they result in different amounts of HUVEC proliferation during longer term culture: (A) Quantification of Live/Dead staining shows high viability for all conditions one-hour post-encapsulation, (B) Representative maximum intensity projections of Live/Dead staining of HUVECs 1 hour post encapsulation. Live HUVECs appear green due to calcein-AM cleavage, and dead HUVECs appear red due to membrane permeation of ethidium homodimer-1. Scale bar = 100 μm, (C) Measurement of absorbance at 490 nm for an MTS assay performed on encapsulated HUVECs at day 1, (D) Measurement of absorbance at 490 nm for an MTS assay performed on encapsulated HUVECs at day 3, (E) Measurement of absorbance at 490 nm for an MTS assay performed on encapsulated HUVECs at day 7. Significance is denoted as: *p≤0.05, **p≤0.01, ***p≤0.001, and ****p≤0.0001.

Article Snippet: RGD (GCGYGRGDSPG) and peptide/peptoid crosslinkers were all synthesized by a Prelude X automated peptide synthesizer (Gyros Protein Technologies) on Rink Amide polystyrene resin (0.48 mmol g -1 , Chem-Impex) at a scale of 250 μmol.

Techniques: Staining, Encapsulation, Membrane, MTS Assay

Journal: Communications Biology

Article Title: Multi-parameter tunable synthetic matrix for engineering lymphatic vessels

doi: 10.1038/s42003-024-06935-7

Figure Lengend Snippet: A Norbornene groups were functionalized along the HA backbone in low, medium, or high frequency based on parameters during the synthesis process. B Lyophilized NorHA polymer was dissolved in complete cell media, along with Irgacure 2959, a RGD peptide (G C GYGRGDSPG), and an MMP-sensitive crosslinker (G C RDGPQG ↓ IWGQDR C G; down arrow indicates the site of proteolytic cleavage). The pre-polymer solution was then cast in a cylindrical mold and crosslinked with UV light to yield a hydrogel with human LECs encapsulated throughout. C Several days after encapsulation, LECs self-assembled into vessels to varying extents based on the hydrogel conditions. These engineered in vitro constructs, created with a fully defined matrix and growth factor components along with only human LECs and no feeder layers or support cells, can be used in mechanistic and growth factor screenings, for disease modeling, and as a therapeutic transplant. Schematic was created with BioRender.com.

Article Snippet: We obtained the cell-adhesive peptide G C GYGRGDSPG (molecular weight [MW]: 1025.1 Da, referred to as RGD peptide from here on), cell-nonadhesive peptide GCGYGRDGSPG (MW: 1025.1 Da, referred to as RDG peptide from here on), and MMP-sensitive peptide crosslinker G C RDGPQG ↓ IWGQDR C G (MW: 1754.0 Da; down arrow indicates the site of proteolytic cleavage) from GenScript Corporation.

Techniques: Polymer, Encapsulation, In Vitro, Construct