We applied a bottom-up approach to develop biofunctional
supramolecular
hydrogels from an aromatic glycodipeptide. The self-assembly of the
glycopeptide was induced by either temperature manipulation (heating–cooling
cycle) or solvent (DMSO to water) switch. The sol–gel transition
was salt-triggered in cell culture media and resulted in gels with
the same chemical compositions but different mechanical properties.
Human adipose derived stem cells (hASCs) cultured on these gels under
basal conditions (i.e., without differentiation factors) overexpressed
neural markers, such as GFAP, Nestin, MAP2, and βIII-tubulin,
confirming the differentiation into neural lineages. The mechanical
properties of the gels influenced the number and distribution of the
adhered cells. A comparison with gels obtained from the nonglycosylated
peptide showed that glycosylation is crucial for the biofunctionality
of the hydrogels by capturing and preserving essential growth factors,
e.g., FGF-2.