Growth and Characterization of Multicellular Spheroids in Cellulose Derived Hydrogels as an Artificial Three-Dimensional Scaffold

This thesis describes the preparation and characterization of cellulose derived hydrogels. Specifically, aldehyde-modified cellulose nanocrystals (a-CNCs) and aldehyde-modified cellulose nanofibers (a-CNFs) will chemically cross-link with gelatin, forming nanofibrillar hydrogels capable of supporting the growth and differentiation of MCF 7 cells. To begin, a microextrusion-based 3D printing method was utilized to generate anisotropic hydrogel sheets. Hydrogels exhibiting both uniform and compositional gradients were extruded, resulting in gels with gradients in structure, mechanical properties and permeability. Then, MCF 7 cells were encapsulated within a-CNC/gelatin and a-CNF/gelatin hydrogels of varying concentrations in order to determine optimum cell viability. The results of these hydrogels indicate promising contributions to tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.M.Sc