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. 2023 Oct 17;32:292–303. doi: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2023.10.001

Fig. 2.

Fig. 2

ECM-sequestering peptides promoted ECM deposition and improved oocyte outcomes. (a) Representative brightfield images at 20× (scale bar 100 μm) and 5× objectives (inset, scale bar 500 μm) after 0 and 18 days of culture in unmodified PEG hydrogels (control), unmodified PEG gels embedded with 2%v/v RGD-functionalized DexVS fibers (RGD fibers), or BMB-modified PEG hydrogels embedded with 2%v/v BMB-functionalized DexVS fibers (BMB Bulk BMB Fibers). Cells cultured in hydrogels containing RGD fibers exhibited two distinct behaviors with 78% of hydrogels maintaining isolated cell clusters and 22% of hydrogels driving cell adhesion and network formation along fibers; (b) Representative images of oocytes collected from hydrogels after 18 days of culture. (c) Live oocytes collected from each gel (-/NA n = 4, -/RGD n = 3, BMB/BMB n = 4), and (d) oocyte diameter after 18 days of culture (-/NA n = 119 oocytes pooled from 4 gels, -/RGD n = 42 oocytes pooled from 3 gels, BMB/BMB n = 306 oocytes pooled from 4 gels). (e) Concentrations of steroid hormones androstenedione (A), estradiol (E), and progesterone (P) in medium collected from BMB Bulk/BMB Fiber hydrogels (n = 4). (f) Representative confocal images of collagen type I (red) deposition by cells (nuclei, blue) in hydrogels containing fibers (green) functionalized with either RGD or BMB (scale bar 50 μm).