Preparation of gelatin-based hydrogels with tunable mechanical properties and modulation on cell–matrix interactions

Natural polymer material-based hydrogels normally show inferior mechanical stability and strength to bear large deformation and cyclic loading, therefore their applications in food, biomedical and tissue engineering fields are greatly limited. In this study, gelatin-based hydrogels with remarkable stability, as well as tunable mechanical properties, were prepared via a facile method known as the Hofmeister effect. The higher concentration of potassium sulfatesolution resulted in more dehydration and molecular chain folding, thus the treated hydrogels showed significantly improved tensile and compressive modulus, and decreased equilibrium swelling ratio, as revealed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infraredspectroscopy (FTIR), and mechanical tests, etc. Additionally, the reinforced hydrogels were recoverable and biocompatible to modulate the proliferation behavior of human umbilical vein endothelial cells. In conclusion, this paper provides a facile reference for tuning mechanical properties of gelatin-based hydrogels and cell-hydrogel interactions, which show potential capacity in tissue engineering and biomedical fields.