Oxygen sensitive hydrogel matrix for 3D cell culture and 3D oxygen concentration mapping

We report an oxygen sensitive cell culture matrix that is achieved by covalently coupling a Ruthenium complex to the primary amine groups in collagen (pre-gelation). The resulting matrix is thoroughly characterized with respect to native collagen using different techniques such as SEM and AFM. After testing the biocompatibility of the newly synthesized collagen matrix, we perform proofof-concept experiments demonstrating the capability of the matrix to act as an oxygen sensor. This matrix is particularly interesting for 3D monitoring of variations in the oxygen concentration in the vicinity of cells within a microfluidic device