Figure 1.

Bulk hydrogel characterization. a) Overview of modified-hyaluronic acid (HA) chemical structures (left), which photocrosslink upon the addition of crosslinker (dithiothreitol, DTT) and photoinitiator (Irgacure D-2959, I2959) and exposure to UV light to form bulk hydrogels (center). Dynamic covalent hydrazone interactions form between hydrazide and aldehyde groups (right, purple box). b) Compressive moduli of bulk hydrogels. c) Schematic of the adhesion testing of bulk hydrogels (left), representative plots of tensile force v. extension (center), and quantified adhesion strengths of controls (NorHA hydrogels alone) and adhesive (Hyd-NorHA and Ald-NorHA hydrogels) hydrogels (right). Data presented as mean ± standard deviation, with a sample size of n = 3. Statistical analysis performed using a one-way ANOVA. ns = no significance, *p<0.05.