Fabricating gradient hydrogel scaffolds for 3D cell culture.

Optimizing cell-material interactions is critical for maximizing regeneration in tissue engineering. Combinatorial and high-throughput (CHT) methods can be used to systematically screen tissue scaffolds to identify optimal biomaterial properties. Previous CHT platforms in tissue engineering have involved a two-dimensional (2D) cell culture format where cells were cultured on material surfaces. However, these platforms are inadequate to predict cellular response in a three-dimensional (3D) tissue scaffold. We have developed a simple CHT platform to screen cell-material interactions in 3D culture format that can be applied to screen hydrogel scaffolds. Herein we provide detailed instructions on a method to prepare gradients in elastic modulus of photopolymerizable hydrogels.