pH-Responsive Collagen Hydrogels Prepared by UV Irradiation in the Presence of Riboflavin.

This study reveals the pH-responsive behavior of collagen hydrogels prepared using ultraviolet (UV) irradiation with riboflavin as a photosensitizer. By varying the UV exposure time, we modulated the crosslinking density, thereby influencing the mechanical properties and pH responsiveness. Rheological analysis confirmed successful network formation, whereas swelling studies revealed significant pH-dependent behavior, with maximum swelling at a pH of four and minimal swelling above a pH of six, demonstrating partial reversibility over multiple pH cycles.

Additive-Free Method for Enhancing the Volume Phase Transition Rate in Light-Responsive Hydrogels: A Study of Micro-Nano Bubble Water on PNIPAM-co-AAc Hydrogels.

Light-responsive hydrogels containing light-thermal convertible pigments have received interest for their possible applications in light-responsive shutters, valves, drug delivery systems, etc. However, their utility is limited by the slow response time. In this study, we investigated the use of micro-nano bubble water as a preparation solvent to accelerate the volume phase transition kinetics of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid) (PNIPAM-co-AAc) hydrogels.

Effect of UV Irradiation of Pre-Gel Solutions on the Formation of Collagen Gel Tubes.

Hollow collagen gels are promising materials for drug/cell delivery systems to promote tissue regeneration because they may be able to function as carriers for these types of loads. Controlling the cavity size and swelling suppression is essential to expand the applications and improve the usability of such gel-like systems. We investigated the effects of UV-treated collagen solutions as a pre-gel aqueous mixture on the formation and properties of the hollow collagen gels in terms of their preparation range limits, morphology, and swelling ratio.

Macroscopic Pattern Formation of Alginate Gels in a Two-Dimensional System.

Macroscopic spatial patterns were formed in calcium alginate gels when a drop of a calcium nitrate solution was placed on the center of a sodium alginate solution on a petri dish. These patterns have been classified into two groups. One is multi-concentric rings consisting of alternating cloudy and transparent areas observed around the center of petri dishes.

Light-driven autonomous swing of multi-layered hydrogel.

Light-driven self-oscillators without electronic circuits or conventional heat engines are carbon-emission-free systems and hold promise for developing autonomous transmission pumps and self-swimming micromotors. Thermosensitive hydrogels as self-oscillators can be used in the exploitation of low-temperature heat sources and in medical applications since the driving temperature is close to body temperature. Here, the autonomous swinging of the hydrogel was achieved by irradiating a constant light beam onto a head laminated with two thermosensitive hydrogels with different transition temperatures.

Mixing Behavior of the Binary Monolayers of Fatty Acids Based on Their Cohesive Energy Differences.

The morphology involving the height difference and the surface roughness of the binary monolayers of saturated fatty acids were evaluated using atomic force microscopy (AFM) to investigate the mixing behavior of their monolayers. AFM observations revealed that the mixed monolayers of (palmitic acid/arachidic acid) and (arachidic acid/lignoceric acid), which had four methylene group differences between fatty acids, were in a molecularly mixed state. Further, the mixed monolayer of (stearic acid/lignoceric acid), which had six methylene group differences, was in a phase-separated state.

One-Pot Preparation of Collagen Tubes Using Diffusing Gelation.

One-pot gelation in capillary glass tubes with carbonate-based buffer solution allows the formation of hollow collagen gels (collagen tubes) with an outer diameter of 1 mm or less. The preparation conditions of collagen concentration, buffer concentration, and capillary diameter impacted the ratio and size of the hollow gel and allowed for morphological control of the cavity. The morphology of the hollows suggests that their vacancies are the result of macroscopic phase separation and pinning due to gelation.

Macroscopic Banding Pattern of Collagen Gel Formed by a Diffusion-Reaction Process.

Shapes and patterns observed in internal organs and tissues are reproducibly and robustly produced over a long distance (up to millimeters in length). The most fundamental remaining question is how these long geometries of shape and pattern form arise from the genetic message. Recent studies have demonstrated that extracellular matrix (ECM) critically participates as a structural foundation on which cells can organize and communicate.

Non-Equilibrium Phase-Separated State of(Palmitic Acid/Lignoceric Acid) Mixed Monolayer.

The effect of solvent species and quantity of solvent used for spreading on the morphology of Langmuir monolayer composed of palmitic and lignoceric acids was investigated based on atomic force microscopy observations. The variation in domain size depending on the evaporation time of the spreading solution indicated that the mixed monolayer was in a non-equilibrium phase-separated state.

Structural-Size Control of Domain from Nano to Micro: Logical Balancing between Attractive and Repulsive Interactions in Two Dimensions.

Molecules aggregate to form a structure through various interactions involving dispersion force, electrostatic force, and so on. In two-dimensional systems, a surface energetic effect is further important for the molecular aggregation structure. We show that the domain size and its morphology in the mixed monomolecular film composed of hydrocarbon and fluorocarbon skeletons with different surface free energies extremely change depending on pH and NaCl concentration in the subphase.

Promotion of cell adhesion by low-molecular-weight hydrogel by Lys based amphiphile.

Hydrogels formed by low-molecular hydrogelators have been used as anti-microbial agents and cell-attachment materials. However the biomedical application of low-molecular gelators is slowly progressing compared to the hydrogels formed by polymer hydrogelator that is applied to biomedical application such as tissue engineering and biomedical regions. To obtain a simple molecular model for potent and prospective usage of low-molecular hydrogelators, we designed a Lys-based hydrogelator which was mimic to the poly cationic poly-l-lysine that promotes cells to attach to a plastic plate nonspecifically.

Formation of layered perovskite structure by folding monolayer during compression.

The morphology and layered structure of an alkyl ammonium bromide ultrathin film prepared on an aqueous solution of lead bromide were investigated on the basis of surface pressure-area curve measurements, reflection spectrum measurements, X-ray reflectivity measurements and atomic force microscopic observations. It became apparent that the layered structure sandwiched a two-dimensional inorganic layer between two organic monolayers was formed by folding the monolayer by compression on an aqueous PbBr2 solution.

Self-pulsation observed in pH-sensitive microcapsules.

In this study, self-pulsating microparticles have been successfully prepared using a pH-sensitive and permselective membrane system.

Nanomosaic: formation of nanodomains confined in a two-dimensional molecular plane.

Atomic force microscopy observations of a (hydrocarbon guanidinium/fluorocarbon carboxylic acid) mixed monolayer revealed that a nanoscopic phase-separated structure was formed by a combination of attractive interaction between the oppositely charged head groups and repulsive phase separation of the hydrocarbon and fluorocarbon chains.

Morphological analysis of glutaraldehyde-fixed vimentin intermediate filaments and assembly-intermediates by atomic force microscopy.

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to study the morphology of vimentin intermediate filaments (IFs) and their assembly intermediates. At each time after initiation of IF assembly in vitro of recombinant mouse vimentin, the sample was fixed with 0.1% glutaraldehyde and then applied to AFM analysis.