Figure 1.

Methods. (a) Decellularization and hydrogel formation of skin-ECM, lung-ECM and LV-ECM (b) Low-load compression testing at 20% strain for 100 s. The data analyzed with a generalized Maxwell model of viscoelasticity. The number of Maxwell elements were determined based on curve-fitting the stress relaxation data (Relaxation modulus; Pa). The figure shows skin-ECM data, where two Maxwell elements were sufficient to explain their viscoelasticity, confirmed by the decrease in Chi². (c) Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). All hydrogels were fixed for 24 h in 2% glutaraldehyde and 2% paraformaldehyde (1:1 ratio) at 4 °C, freeze-dried for 24 h, metal coated and visualized with SEM. (d) Protein and sulphated glycosaminoglycans (sGAGs) quantification with Lowry and DMMB assays. (e) Histology and Immunohistochemistry. Hydrogels were fixed for 24 h in 2% formalin, processed conventionally with a graded ethanol series for dehydration, paraffin embedded and sectioned. Sections (5 µm) were stained with Alcian Blue, Picrosirius Red (PSR) and Masson’s Trichrome (MTC) as well as immune stained for collagen type I (COL1A1) and Elastin and scanned with a Hamamatsu section scanner. (Figure created with BioRender).