Schematic view of the network of physical, chemical and biological interactions between the molecules and cells in the system.
Note: kin and kout: transport rate constants; kd: HeLa cell doubling rate constant, which is 4.81×10−4 min−1; kg: gelation rate constant which is 105 min−1; ks: dissociation rate constant of a gel; ktrap: rate constant of trapping process; kcat: catalytic rate constant; kk([GC]): killing rate constant; kf: forward rate constant; kr: reverse rate constant. S stands for precursor, P stands for free hydrogelators in solution; G stands for hydrogelators in the assemblies. The superscripts M and C designate species in the extracellular medium and inside the cells, respectively.