Hydrogel Swelling
Hydrogel Swelling - Related Videos
08:33
Hydrogel Synthesis
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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...
07:25
Collagen Hydrogels
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2023
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...
05:53
Mitochondrial Ca2+ Retention Capacity Assay and Ca2+-triggered Mitochondrial Swelling Assay
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Cited by 11 •
2018
This protocol aims to describe a method to examine the Ca2+ retention capacity and Ca2+- triggered mitochondrial swelling of isolated mitochondria of SH-SY5Y cells step-by-step.
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.
07:04
Forskolin-induced Swelling in Intestinal Organoids: An In Vitro Assay for Assessing Drug Response in Cystic Fibrosis Patients
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Cited by 121 •
2017
This protocol describes an assay for measuring CFTR function and CFTR modulator responses in cultured tissue from subjects with cystic fibrosis (CF). Biopsy-derived intestinal organoids swell in a cAMP-driven fashion, a response that is defective (or strongly reduced) in CF organoids and can be restored by exposure to CFTR modulators.
FAQs
Crosslink density sets how strongly the network resists expansion. A more tightly crosslinked structure provides greater elastic opposition to solvent-driven swelling, whereas a less tightly crosslinked network permits more dimensional change. This relationship allows bioengineers to adjust the balance between water uptake and structural integrity when designing hydrogels for different mechanical or transport requirements.
Hydrogel swelling responds to environmental conditions because polymer-solvent interactions and osmotic forces change with pH, temperature, and ionic strength. These variables can alter the extent of water uptake without changing the overall purpose of the material. Considering them together is important when predicting whether a hydrogel will maintain its intended properties in a particular bioengineering setting.
Swelling reflects a balance between two competing effects: solvent uptake generates osmotic pressure that drives expansion, while the crosslinked polymer network supplies elastic resistance. The final size is therefore not determined by water absorption alone. This balance explains why composition and crosslinking must be selected together when researchers target a defined hydrogel behavior.
Polymer composition influences swelling by shaping how the network interacts with the solvent. Because composition also affects stiffness, porosity, and transport, changing it can modify several functional properties at once. Researchers therefore evaluate swelling as part of broader material design rather than treating water uptake as an isolated measurement.
Hydrogel swelling changes the network’s porosity and transport properties, which are central to how substances move through the material. In drug delivery, this behavior helps characterize whether the matrix can support the intended material function. In biosensing, swelling-dependent changes provide a basis for designing systems whose performance responds to environmental conditions.
By influencing stiffness and porosity, swelling affects the physical environment that a hydrogel provides for bioengineering applications. These properties are relevant when hydrogels serve as materials for tissue engineering or cell culture. Measuring and tuning swelling can therefore help researchers assess whether the material has suitable structural and transport characteristics for its intended use.
Swelling measurements help predict material stability and performance under physiological environments. Researchers can use this information to judge whether changes in water uptake may alter stiffness, porosity, or transport properties during use. The assessment is especially relevant for biomedical devices and other applications where the hydrogel must retain predictable behavior after exposure to biological conditions.