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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2009 Aug 25.
Published in final edited form as: J Biomater Sci Polym Ed. 2008;19(10):1279–1293. doi: 10.1163/156856208786052380

Figure 1.

Figure 1

Fabrication of 3D protein hydrogel constructs. Solubilized ECM is mixed with VSMC and the mixture is then poured into a mold, in this case a 35 mm diameter Petri dish (A). The liquid suspension is exposed to conditions that initiate gelation, such as pH or temperature change or addition of an enzyme (B). Over time in culture the gelled material is compacted by cell-mediated remodeling of the protein matrix (C), resulting in rudimentary 3D tissue constructs in which the VSMC are surrounded by matrix proteins (D).