3D Hydrogels

3D hydrogels are three-dimensional cross-linked networks of hydrophilic polymers that can absorb and retain large amounts of water. In recent years, these hydrogels have received widespread attention for their potential applications in tissue engineering, drug delivery, and biomedical research. These cross-linked polymer hydrogels can replicate the extracellular matrix found in nature.

In the context of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), 3D hydrogels can be used to create 3D models of the BBB in vitro. Researchers can recreate the complex structure and physiology of the BBB in a laboratory setting by using 3D hydrogels as a substrate. Additionally, these hydrogels can be functionalized with specific molecules to mimic the biochemical and biophysical properties of the blood-brain barrier. In Transwell models, for example, researchers can culture traditionally immortalized cells embedded in hydrogels to form multicellular complexes called spheroids. Furthermore, stem cells grown in 3D hydrogels can differentiate into multiple cell types that closely resemble native tissues, such as human iPSC-derived brain microvascular endothelial cells, that can be programmed to form 3D organoid BBB models, which are ideal, reproducible, and scalable in vitro models of the BBB.

The advantage of using 3D hydrogels as BBB model substrates is that they provide a more realistic representation of brain tissue compared to traditional 2D cell culture systems. Furthermore, 3D hydrogel models can form multicellular layers and establish cell-cell interactions, which are crucial for studying the barrier function of the BBB.

Ace Therapeutics provides a variety of naturally derived 3D hydrogels and synthetic 3D hydrogel kits to help you construct an ideal, stable 3D BBB model in vitro that meets your research needs.