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J. Torgersen, X.H. Qin, Z. Li, A. Ovsianikov, R. Liska, J. Stampfl:
"Hydrogels for Two-Photon Polymerization: A Toolbox for Mimicking the Extracellular Matrix";
Advanced Functional Materials, 10 (2013), 6.

The natural extracellular matrix (ECM) represents a complex and dynamic
environment. It provides numerous spatio-temporal signals mediating many
cellular functions including morphogenesis, adhesion, proliferation and
differentiation. The cell-ECM interaction is bidirectional. Cells dynamically
receive and process information from the ECM and remodel it at the same
time. Theses complex interactions are still not fully understood. For better
understanding, it is indispensable to deconstruct the ECM up to the point of
investigating isolated characteristics and cell responses to physical, chemical
and topographical cues. Two-photon polymerization (2PP) allows the exact
reconstruction of cell specifi c sites in 3D at micro- and nanometer precision.
Processing biocompatible synthetic and naturally-derived hydrogels, the
microenvironment of cells can be designed to specifi cally investigate their
behavior in respect to key chemical, mechanical and topographical attributes.
Moreover, 3D manipulation can be performed in the presence of cells,
guiding biological tissue formation in all stages of its development. Here,
advances in 2PP microfabrication of synthetic and naturally based hydrogels
are reviewed. Key components of photopolymerizable hydrogel precursors,
their structure-property relationships and their polymerization mechanisms
are presented. Furthermore, it is shown how biocompatible 2PP fabricated
constructs can act as biologically relevant matrices to study cell functions and
tissue development.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201203880