Enzyme‐Degradable 3D Multi‐Material Microstructures
David Gräfe, Marvin Gernhardt, Jiongyu Ren, Eva Blasco, Martin Wegener, Maria A. Woodruff, Christopher Barner‐Kowollik
Abstract
Abstract There exists a growing need for smart materials suitable for use in biomedical applications. Herein, a photoresist that can be used to fabricate a biocompatible material entirely degradable by the enzyme chymotrypsin is introduced. The photoresist is based on a crosslinker with a tyramine moiety that is recognized and cleaved by the enzyme chymotrypsin. Macroscopic films as well as microstructures are fabricated via the use of direct laser writing. Multi‐material boxing ring microstructures are generated and selectively degraded by the enzyme. Cell biocompatibility studies indicate that cells are able to attach and proliferate over one week on the material. A photoresist that is biocompatible and can be entirely removed by a biocompatible stimulus such as an enzyme can potentially be used as an easily removed tissue engineering scaffold and is especially promising for basic cell biology research.