Three-Dimensional Magnetoelectric Nanocomposite GelMA Hydrogels for Wireless Electrical Stimulation of Cardiac Cells.
Por:
Viteri A, Vargas-Estevez C, Colombi S, Resina L, Tan H, Sort J, Ginebra MP, Engel E, Alemán C and García-Torres JM
Publicada:
20 may 2026
Ahead of Print:
7 may 2026
Resumen:
Bioelectrical cues are essential for cardiac function and regeneration, yet current electrostimulation strategies rely on invasive electrodes that limit spatial control and clinical translation. Here, we report magnetoelectric nanocomposite hydrogels that combine core-shell CoFe(2)O(4)@BiFeO(3) magnetoelectric nanoparticles (ME NPs) with a photo-cross-linked methacrylated gelatin (GelMA) network, enabling wireless electroactivity through externally applied magnetic fields within a soft, biomimetic three-dimensional scaffold. Structural and physicochemical analyses confirmed the successful synthesis of crystalline core-shell ME NPs with strong interfacial coupling, as demonstrated by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and magnetic hysteresis measurements showing exchange bias effects. Homogeneous incorporation of ME NPs within GelMA produced highly porous and interconnected hydrogels, as revealed by scanning electron microscopy and microcomputed tomography. The presence of nanoparticles reduced equilibrium swelling and refined pore architecture, suggesting increased effective cross-linking density and nanoparticle-polymer interactions. Mechanical testing showed soft elastomeric behavior with compressive moduli compatible with cardiac tissue. Under dynamic magnetic stimulation, magnetoelectric hydrogels significantly enhanced cardiac cell viability, proliferation, and morphological organization compared with pristine GelMA controls. After 10 days, the metabolic activity of cells cultured on GelMA-ME NP hydrogels under stimulation was approximately 3-fold higher than that of unstimulated GelMA. These results demonstrate that magnetoelectric hydrogels provide an effective platform for wireless electrostimulation, offering promising opportunities for cardiac tissue engineering and implantable bioelectronic therapies without wired electrodes.
Filiaciones:
Viteri A:
Biomaterials, Biomechanics and Tissue Engineering Group, Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (IRIS), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya-BarcelonaTech (UPC), Av. Eduard Maristany 16, 08019 Barcelona, Spain
Barcelona Research Center in Multiscale Science and Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya-BarcelonaTech (UPC), Av. Eduard Maristany 16, 08019 Barcelona, Spain
Vargas-Estevez C:
Biomaterials, Biomechanics and Tissue Engineering Group, Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (IRIS), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya-BarcelonaTech (UPC), Av. Eduard Maristany 16, 08019 Barcelona, Spain
Barcelona Research Center in Multiscale Science and Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya-BarcelonaTech (UPC), Av. Eduard Maristany 16, 08019 Barcelona, Spain
Colombi S:
Barcelona Research Center in Multiscale Science and Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya-BarcelonaTech (UPC), Av. Eduard Maristany 16, 08019 Barcelona, Spain
Departament d'Enginyeria Química, EEBE, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, C/Eduard Maristany, 10-14, 08019 Barcelona, Spain
Resina L:
Barcelona Research Center in Multiscale Science and Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya-BarcelonaTech (UPC), Av. Eduard Maristany 16, 08019 Barcelona, Spain
Departament d'Enginyeria Química, EEBE, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, C/Eduard Maristany, 10-14, 08019 Barcelona, Spain
Tan H:
Departament de Física, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra 08193, Spain
Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), CSIC and BIST, Bellaterra 08193, Spain
Sort J:
Departament de Física, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra 08193, Spain
Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), CSIC and BIST, Bellaterra 08193, Spain
Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Pg. Lluís Companys 23, Barcelona 08010, Spain
Ginebra MP:
Biomaterials, Biomechanics and Tissue Engineering Group, Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (IRIS), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya-BarcelonaTech (UPC), Av. Eduard Maristany 16, 08019 Barcelona, Spain
Barcelona Research Center in Multiscale Science and Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya-BarcelonaTech (UPC), Av. Eduard Maristany 16, 08019 Barcelona, Spain
Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Baldiri Reixac 10-12, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
Engel E:
IMEM-BRT group, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya-BarcelonaTech (UPC), 08019 Barcelona, Spain
Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Baldiri Reixac 10-12, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
Alemán C:
Barcelona Research Center in Multiscale Science and Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya-BarcelonaTech (UPC), Av. Eduard Maristany 16, 08019 Barcelona, Spain
Departament d'Enginyeria Química, EEBE, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, C/Eduard Maristany, 10-14, 08019 Barcelona, Spain
Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Baldiri Reixac 10-12, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
García-Torres JM:
Biomaterials, Biomechanics and Tissue Engineering Group, Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (IRIS), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya-BarcelonaTech (UPC), Av. Eduard Maristany 16, 08019 Barcelona, Spain
Barcelona Research Center in Multiscale Science and Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya-BarcelonaTech (UPC), Av. Eduard Maristany 16, 08019 Barcelona, Spain
Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
Open Access
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