A class of water-loving, jelly-like materials with uses
ranges ranging from the mundane, such as superabsorbent diaper liners, to the
sophisticated, such as soft contact lenses, could be tapped for a new line of
serious work: testing the biological effects of nanoparticles now being eyed
for a large variety of uses.
New research* by scientists at the National Institute of
Standards and Technology (NIST) demonstrates that three-dimensional scaffolds
made with cells and supporting materials known as hydrogels can serve as
life-like measurement platforms for evaluating how tiny engineered materials
interact with cells and tissues. Their proof-of-concept study suggests that
hydrogel tissue scaffolds can be a "powerful bridge" between current
laboratory tests and tests that use animal models.