Fig. 2: Four distinct network patterns visualized by CLSM imaging. | Nature Communications

Fig. 2: Four distinct network patterns visualized by CLSM imaging.

From: Four distinct network patterns of supramolecular/polymer composite hydrogels controlled by formation kinetics and interfiber interactions

Fig. 2

a CLSM images of single-component hydrogels. b, d, f, h CLSM images of b BPmoc-F3/Alx488-Agarose, d GalNAc-cycC6/Alx488-Agarose, f Phos-MecycC5/Alx488-Agarose, and h DBS-COOH/Alx488-Agarose. Magenta: supramolecular network, green: agarose network. Line plot analyses along the white lines are shown on the right side of each image. PCC: Pearson’s correlation coefficient, FL intensity: fluorescence intensity, Supra: supramolecular network, a.u.: arbitrary units. Scale bar: 5 µm. c, e, g, i Schematic illustration of c orthogonal, e interactive type I, g interactive type II, and i interactive type III networks. Conditions: [BPmoc-F3] = 0.1 wt% (1.6 mM), [Phos-MecycC5] = 0.4 wt% (6.5 mM), [GalNAc-cycC6] = 0.3 wt% (4.6 mM), [Alx488-Agarose] = 0.5 wt%, [TMR-Gua] = 14 µM, [Alx546-cycC6] = 4.0 µM, [DBS-COOH] = 0.2 wt% (4.49 mM), [glucono-δ-lactone] = 44.9 mM (for DBS-COOH), solvent: 100 mM MES pH 7.0 (for a, b, d, f) or water (for h), rt. We obtained two more CLSM images of each composite hydrogel and confirmed that the network structures in these images are similar to those shown in Fig. 2. Thus, the CLSM images shown here are the representative ones. The additional images are shown in Supplementary Fig. 12–14. All of CLSM images of hydrogels were acquired in the hydrated state.

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