Allyl sulfide photodegradation maintains stem cell differentiation potential. Allyl sulfide hydrogels laden with colonies were degraded to release the encapsulated colonies, which were encapsulated into Matrigel and cultured with differentiation media (lacking CHIR99021 and valproic acid). a After 3 days, buds had protruded off of the colonies to form crypts, which immunostained for lysozyme (red), an indicator of Paneth cells and a mature crypt, as well as DAPI (blue) and f-actin (green). b Staining for EdU (red, 24 hour pulse) and DAPI (blue) showed proliferative cells residing in the crypt ends. Scale bars 50μm. c A low percentage of organoids formed from ISC colonies expanded in allyl sulfide gels and transplanted into Matrigel formed crypts containing lysozyme (22.5 ± 1.0 %, N = 3) and EdU positive cells (27.5 ± 0.9 %, N = 4). Mean ± s.d..