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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2019 Jul 1.
Published in final edited form as: Biomaterials. 2018 Apr 25;172:54–65. doi: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2018.04.047

Figure 2. In vitro characterization of PEG macrodevice properties.

Figure 2

Macrodevice (n = 5/group) formed with degradable or non-degradable cross-linkers were assessed by rheometry to evaluate gel weight percent impact on (a) storage modulus and (b) calculated mesh size. Fluorescently-labeled macrodevices (n = 4/group) cross-linked with non-degradable (PEGDT) and degradable peptides (VPM, GDQ) were assessed for (c) stability and degradation rate via incubation in collagenase and whole-gel IVIS fluorescence imaging and (d) quantification of gel area post-thresholding of fluorescent signal intensity at 30%. (e) Transport kinetics in non-degradable PEG/PEGDT and alginate macrodevices (n = 3/group) were assessed via diffusion of FITC dextrans (10kDa and 150kDa) and temporal IVIS fluorescence imaging of whole gels. (f) Histograms of central cross sections of gels and (g) measurement of radiant efficiency measurements of entire gels normalized to gel cross sectional area demonstrate transport kinetics over time. a P < 0.05, aa P < 0.005, aaaa P < 0.0001 vs 5% gel; **** P < 0.0001. Analysis by 2-way ANOVA with Sidak’s multiple comparison test. $ P < 0.05, $$$ P < 0.0005, $$$$ P < 0.0001 vs. GDQ; †† P < 0.005, †††† P < 0.0001 vs. VPM. Analysis by 2-way ANOVA with Tukey’s multiple comparison test.