Hydrogel Fixation
Hydrogel Fixation - Related Videos
07:25
Collagen Hydrogels
0 Views •
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Collagen is another widely used biomaterial that has found popularity in commercial applications, such as photography. Collagen has more recently been used in tissue engineering applications, by creating hydrogels that provide structure to engineered tissue. This video introduces collagen as a biomaterial, demonstrates how it is harvested from porcine skin, and shows how the material is used to create a hydrogel for tissue engineering applications. Finally, several applications of the material...
08:33
Hydrogel Synthesis
0 Views •
2023
Source: Amber N. Barron, Ashlea Patterson, and Taylor D. Sparks, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT Hydrogels are a versatile class of cross-linked polymers produced through relatively simple procedures and with generally inexpensive materials. They can be formed from solution and involve a polymer backbone formed from monomer reagents, an initiator which makes the polymer reactive and a crosslinking species which binds the polymer chains...
03:39
Immunostaining of Cells Encapsulated in a 3D Hydrogel System
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This video demonstrates a technique for immunostaining cells encapsulated in a 3D hydrogel. The hydrogel culture containing neural progenitor cells is fixed, permeabilized, and treated with a blocking solution to prevent non-specific immunostaining. A primary antibody cocktail is added to bind specific proteins, followed by fluorescently labeled secondary antibodies and a nuclear stain. The sample is then mounted on a slide and observed under a confocal microscope.
09:47
FRET Imaging in Three-dimensional Hydrogels
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Cited by 3 •
2016
Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) imaging is a powerful tool for real-time cell biology studies. Here a method for FRET imaging cells in physiologic three-dimensional (3D) hydrogel microenvironments using conventional epifluorescence microscopy is presented. An analysis for ratiometric FRET probes that yields linear ratios over the activation range is described.
08:53
Whole Animal Perfusion Fixation for Rodents
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Cited by 531 •
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Here we describe a low-cost, rapid, controlled and uniform fixation procedure using 4% paraformaldehyde perfused via the vascular system: through the heart of the rat to obtain the best possible preservation of the brain.
FAQs
Physical entanglement, chemical crosslinking, and adhesion to surrounding tissue offer distinct routes to retention. Entanglement depends on interwoven polymer chains, crosslinking stabilizes the network through chemical connections, and tissue adhesion anchors the gel at its interface. Comparing these mechanisms helps relate fixation behavior to the experimental site and desired retention.
Gelation time affects how quickly the material reaches a stable state, whereas network strength contributes to retention at the defined site. Swelling can change both retention and the movement of substances through the network. Considering these variables together is important because a gel that remains attached may still alter transport as it takes up water.
Swelling changes the water-rich network after it takes up fluid, which can influence how substances move through the material. Because swelling also affects retention, it links the hydrogel’s physical state with its ability to remain localized. Researchers must therefore consider both effects when using fixation to control the distribution of compounds or samples.
By keeping a water-rich polymer network at a defined location, fixation can reduce material dispersal and create spatial control. In infection research, that control can help localize antimicrobial compounds or biological samples. In immunology, it can support examination of immune responses under conditions where the material or sample remains positioned during the experiment.
A basic workflow begins by identifying the defined site, selecting physical entanglement, chemical crosslinking, or tissue adhesion as the fixation route, and considering gelation time. Researchers then evaluate whether the resulting network remains retained and how its strength and swelling affect transport. These checks connect preparation choices with experimental performance.
Researchers may choose this approach when antimicrobial compounds, immune-modulating agents, or biological samples need to remain localized. The fixed material can support controlled examination of host responses and contribute to localized therapeutic or diagnostic system development. Its value extends from experimental studies of immune and infection processes to designs that depend on restricting material dispersal.
Assessment can include retention at the intended site, gelation time, network strength, swelling, and transport through the material. Researchers can also examine whether localization and reduced dispersal were achieved while studying the relevant host response. Together, these observations show whether the fixed hydrogel provides the spatial control required by the experiment.