Biomimetic Extracellular Scaffolds by Microfluidic Superstructuring of Nanofibers.

The extracellular matrix is a dynamic framework bearing chemical and morphological cues that support many cellular functions, and artificial analogs with well-defined chemistry are of great interest for biomedical applications. Herein, we describe hierarchical, extracellular-matrix-mimetic microgels, termed "superbundles" (SBs) composed of peptide amphiphile (PA) supramolecular nanofiber networks created using flow-focusing microfluidic devices. We explore the effects of altered flow rate ratio and PA concentration on the ability to create SBs and develop design rules for producing SBs with both cationic and anionic PA nanofibers and gelators.