Figure 1.

a) Schematic illustration of the modular HA:PEG‐LN hydrogel system: (1) The hydrogel components HA‐BCN and (PEG‐Az)₈. (2) For conjugation of LN to the hydrogels, Az‐functionalized LN was first conjugated to HA‐BCN prior addition of (PEG‐Az)₈. (3) For cell encapsulation, cells were suspended in media together with (PEG‐Az)₈. (4) The (PEG‐Az)₈ cell suspension was then mixed with HA‐BCN ± LN to generate HA:PEG‐LN. LN was also labeled with Cy3 to determine conjugation efficiency and facilitate visualization of LN distribution. b) LN was functionalized with Az‐terminated amine‐reactive molecules with either (1) a four‐ethylene glycol unit linker (LN‐p‐Az), or (2) a shorter three‐carbon linker (LN‐Az). Oscillatory strain sweeps of HA:PEG‐(LN) hydrogels with concentrations of c) 1% (w/v) and d) 2% (w/v). e) No significant (n.s.; p > 0.05) difference in G′ at 1% strain was seen for any of the conditions at the same hydrogel concentration. Statistical analysis is ANOVA with Tukey's HSD. f) Hydrogel gelation kinetics. N = 4 for strain sweep and gelation kinetic measurements, where each is a separate hydrogel. Error bars are standard deviation. g) Scanning electron images of hydrogels with and without LN‐(p)‐Az.