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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2024 Sep 1.
Published in final edited form as: Biomaterials. 2023 Jun 14;300:122201. doi: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2023.122201

Figure 5. Dual Crosslinked SilkVS Network Alters Mechanical Properties and Activates Fibroblasts.

Figure 5.

(A) SilkVS hydrogels undergo secondary network formation upon exposure to light (λ=400 nm) and photoinitiator, LAP, resulting in stiffening of the matrix. (B) The extent of stiffening was characterized with compression testing for all SilkVS R-values (n=5). (C) Fibroblasts seeded on R=2.5 hydrogels and treated with light or TGF-β1 were imaged after 6 days to assess cellular activation by staining for αSMA and counter-staining the nuclei and F-actin (i). Images are representative (n=5). RT-qPCR was performed on cells exposed to the various treatment conditions to characterize gene expression of ACTA2 and COL1A, two genes associated with fibrotic activation normalized to the housekeeping gene HPRT1 (ii) (n=3). Scale bars are 200 μm. All data presented are means ± SDs.; * p≤0.05, ** p≤0.01, *** p≤0.005, **** p<0.0001. No significance unless otherwise indicated.