Fig. 2.

Hydrogels resembling extracellular matrix. (a) Polymeric cell carrier matrices need to mimic the physiological environment that cells experience and sense within the human body. Cells can use filopodia extensions to attach to several anchor-like proteins within the gel matrix or interact with the polymeric chains. Bioactive compounds, growth factors and macromolecules can be included or preserved from natural tissue to stimulate cell activity or differentiation toward a specific lineage. (b) Skeletal stem cells (SSCs) encapsulated in GelMA hydrogels and printed into a 3D lattice structure. 3D reconstruction of a SSCs-laden cross-section illustrating cells stretching and spreading in three dimensions. Right (c), front (d) and left (e) 3D reconstructions of SSCs encapsulated in printed GelMA demonstrating uniform and consistent cell attachment throughout the cross-section. Scale bars: (b–e) 500 μm.