Andrea Michel

Masterstudentin

Influence of molecular weight on OHA-GEL hydrogels for soft tissue applications

Betreuer: Markus Lorke, Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini

Hyaluronic acid, a natural component of the extracellular matrix, has shown promise as a scaffold material for brain tissue engineering due to its ability to regulate neural cell growth, migration and differentiation [1], with its molecular weight playing a decisive role in influencing whether cells adopt regenerative or inflammatory behaviors [2]. This Master’s thesis investigates hydrogels composed of oxidized hyaluronic acid (OHA) crosslinked with gelatin (GEL). It focuses on the impact of different molecular weights of OHA on its oxidation process and the resulting physicochemical properties of the hydrogels. The project is carried out in the framework of the Collaborative Research Center CRC 1540 Exploring Brain Mechanics.

[1] Doblado LR, Martínez-Ramos C and Pradas MM. (2021) Biomaterials for Neural Tissue Engineering. Front. Nanotechnol. 3:643507. doi: 10.3389/fnano.2021.643507

[2] Snetkov P, Zakharova K, Morozkina S, Olekhnovich R, Uspenskaya M. (2020) Hyaluronic Acid: The Influence of Molecular Weight on Structural, Physico-Chemical, and Degradable Properties of Biopolymer. Polymers. 2020; 12(8):1800. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12081800