Table 1.

The composition of GEP45, GEP30 and GPE control hydrogels. GPE control contains physically incorporated soluble elastin, gelatin–PEG precursor (4.80%(wt/v)) and 0.90%(wt/v) PEGDA (PEG diacrylate). Soluble elastin and PEGDA were covalently conjugated to the elastin–PEG precursor before fabricating GEP45 and GEP30, while PEGDA was added to GPE control to have similar mechanical properties as GEP45 and GEP30. The network cross-linking density was calculated from the rubber elastic theory. The mesh size was calculated based on the initial storage moduli and swelling ratio. (n = 3, p < 0.05).

Samples	Gelatin–PEG Concentration (wt/v %)	Elastin–PEG Concentration (wt/v %)	Elastin Concentration (wt/v %)	Elastin, as % of Solids	PEGDA Concentration (wt/v %)	Total Solid (wt/v %)	Network Cross-Linking Density (mol∙cm−3)	Initial Mesh Size (nm)
GEP45	4.80	4.50	0	27.1%	0	9.30	6.34 × 10−5 ± 0.67 × 10−5	22.4 ± 3.5
GEP30	4.80	3.00	0	21.5%	0	7.80	4.04 ×10−5 ± 0.58 × 10−5	30.3 ± 4.1
GPE control	4.80	0	1.50	23.8%- soluble, leaches out	0.90	7.20	2.15 ×10−5 ± 0.17 × 10−5	46.4 ± 4.2