A self-assembling peptide hydrogel for ultrarapid 3D bioassays. Issue 2 (30th October 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gagni, Paola; Romanato, Alessandro; Bergamaschi, Greta; Bettotti, Paolo; Vanna, Renzo; Piotto, Chiara; Morasso, Carlo F.; Chiari, Marcella; Cretich, Marina; Gori, Alessandro
• Is Part Of: Nanoscale advances. Volume 1:Issue 2(2019)
• Page Start: 490
• Page End: 497
• Publication Date: 2018-10-30
• Subjects: 620.5
• DOI: 10.1039/c8na00158h
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2516-0230

Abstract

Abstract : A peptide soft hydrogel is used as a 3D matrix for flash microarray bioassays. Abstract : Biosensing analytical platforms rely on the intimate structure–function relationship of immobilized probes. In this context, hydrogels are appealing semi-wet systems to locally confine biomolecules while preserving their structural integrity and function. Yet, limitations imposed by biomolecule diffusion rates or fabrication difficulties still hamper their broad application. Here, using a self-assembling peptide, a printable and self-adhesive hydrogel was obtained and applied to fabricate arrays of localized bio-functional 3D microenvironments on analytical interfaces. This soft matrix represents a robust and versatile material, allowing fast and selective tuning of analyte diffusion, which is exploited here to run in-gel immunoassays under solution-like conditions in an unprecedented (<10 min) time frame. The developed material overcomes major limitations associated with hydrogels for bioassays, widening the prospects for easy fabrication of multifunctional bio-interfaces for high-throughput, molecular recognition assays.