A novel biocompatible biomaterial for on-demand generation of three-dimensional oxygen gradients in vitro

Oxygen gradients play essential roles in many in vitro cell, tissue and organ experimental models. This paper reports a novel biocompatible biomaterial for on-demand generation of three-dimensional oxygen gradients in vitro. By exposing the oxygen-consuming biomaterial consisting of glucose oxidase and catalase enzymes to the cell culture media or gel, precisely-controlled oxygen gradients (2.5 mmHg per 100 μm distance) that closely mimic in vivo hypoxia can be generated. This biomaterial will serve as the basis for a new generation of experimental models previously impossible or very difficult to implement by simplifying and refining the control of in vitro microenvironments.