Figure 1.

(a) Chemical structure of FmocFF. (b) Photographs of hydrogels prepared at a concentration of (left) 5 mg mL^–1 and (right) 15 mg mL^–1 of FmocFF using a DMSO/H₂O ratio of 3:7. The scale bar represents 1 cm, and the gel volumes are 2 mL. (c) Confocal images of gels formed at concentrations of FmocFF of (left) 5 mg mL^–1 and (right) 15 mg mL^–1 at a DMSO/H₂O ratio of 3:7. The scale bars represent 50 μm. (d) Schematic representation of the process by which a three-layered hydrogel is formed in situ. To form the first layer, (I) FmocFF is dissolved in DMSO is pipetted into the container and (II) water is added to trigger gelation. Before starting to prepare the next layer, we wait 30 min to ensure the gel is completely formed. The same methodology was used to form the second (III, IV) and third (V, VI) layers. (e) Photograph of a three-layered hydrogel where each layer was formed using FmocFF at a concentration of 5 mg mL^–1 and 30% DMSO. Each layer is 2.67 mm thick (scale bar represents 1 cm).