All-Cellulose Cryogels with Tunable Extracellular Matrix-Mimetic Architecture

Authors

  • Lucas Lawrence Franz Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
  • Karolina Patricia Akelaitis Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
  • Neela Nicole Cooper Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
  • Sina Kheirabadi Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
  • Mica L. Pitcher Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University
  • Jeff Lin Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
  • Mitra Ann Salari Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
  • Anjali Kiran Baikerikar Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
  • Suchitra Thirumalai Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
  • Roya Koshani Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9849-3963
  • Amir Sheikhi Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University; Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University; Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, College of Medicine, The Pennsylvania State University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4495-6675

Keywords:

Hairy nanocellulose, Biomimetic materials, Sustainable biomaterials, Tissue engineering

Abstract

The hierarchical structure of an extracellular matrix (ECM) regulates cell behaviors, including adhesion, proliferation, migration, and differentiation. Inspired by this principle, tunable all-cellulose cryogels were engineered that partially mimic the architecture of native tissue microenvironments. Building upon the authors’ recent advances in hairy cellulose nanocrystals (HCNC) with finely tuned chemical functionalities and nanoarchitectures, this work leverages amine- and aldehyde-functionalized HCNC together with polymeric cellulose derivatives as building blocks to develop cryogels with organ-specific, ECM-like architectures. Schiff base reactions in conjunction with electrostatic attraction mediate the formation of dynamic covalent networks that self-assemble into hydrogels, which are subsequently lyophilized to yield porous cryogels. Variations in the composition and functionality of cellulosic building blocks govern scaffold architecture by modulating network connectivity, enabling the regulation of pore features. This work establishes a sustainable, non-animal-derived material platform that may bridge biomass nanotechnology and regenerative medicine, demonstrating how renewable, functionally engineered cellulose across micro- and nanoscale can be translated into next-generation biomimetic scaffolds.

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Published

2026-05-27

How to Cite

Franz, L. L., Akelaitis, K. P., Cooper, N. N., Kheirabadi, S., Pitcher, M. L., Lin, J., … Sheikhi, A. (2026). All-Cellulose Cryogels with Tunable Extracellular Matrix-Mimetic Architecture. BioResources, 21(3), 6416–6435. Retrieved from https://ojs.bioresources.com/index.php/BRJ/article/view/25624

Issue

Vol. 21 No. 3 (2026)

Section

Research Article or Brief Communication