Hydrogel degradability and ECM remodeling modulated cell interactions with BMB-functionalized fibers. All hydrogels embedded with 2%v/v BMB-functionalized fibers. (a) Representative brightfield images on Day 0 at 20× objective (5× objective, inset) and Day 18 of culture (20× scale bar 100 μm, 5× scale bar 500 μm). (b) Quantification of oocytes collected from each gel (n = 3 per condition), and oocyte diameter after 18 days of culture (oocytes pooled from 3 gels per condition, total oocytes: YS/YR n = 323, YS n = 439, D-YS n = 23, Mar n = 51). (c) Representative confocal images of laminin, perlecan, and collagen type I (red) deposited in follicle and cell aggregates (nuclei, blue) with BMB-functionalized fibers (green) (scale bar 50 μm). Abbreviations: hydrogels crosslinked with YKNS and YKNR (YS/YR), YKNS only (YS), nondegradable D-YKNS (D-YS), and YKNS/YKNR crosslinked hydrogels in which marimastat was added to the culture medium (Mar).