Light-Addressable Nanocomposite Hydrogels Allow Plasmonic Actuation and In Situ Temperature Monitoring in 3D Cell Matrices

This paper reports a multifunctional platform based on a nanocomposite hydrogel combining poly(ethylene glycol), with rhodamine B-containing silica nanoparticles (RhB@SiO2), as temperature sensors, and gold nanorods (AuNRs) as plasmonic heaters. This composite material acts as a light-addressable cellular matrix able to induce 3D temperature gradients locally and dynamically using the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of AuNRs under near-infrared (NIR) laser illumination. At the same time, the temperature changes are probed locally by monitoring changes of the RhB@SiO2 NPs fluorescence. As a result of plasmonic heating, and, depending on the preparation protocol, the light-addressable hydrogel also deforms controllably and reversibly, allowing mechanical and thermal cellular stimulation in a 3D matrix. The hydrogel deformation is quantified by means of inline holographic microscopy. This approach makes it possible to accurately and locally control and simultaneously measure temperature gradients and deformation in soft, 3D deformable materials and will enable novel platforms for studying cellular thermo- and mechanobiology.

Automated summary

This study introduces a multifunctional platform based on a nanocomposite hydrogel, capable of inducing 3D temperature gradients, monitoring temperature changes, and achieving controllable and reversible deformation of the hydrogel. This platform provides a novel approach for studying cellular thermobiology and mechanobiology.