Abstract: The present invention is concerned with materials and methods for mediating eukaryotic cell attachment to rigid surfaces. In particular, the invention is concerned with coatings for forming cell attachment surfaces, preferably for cell culture devices, microfluidic devices, biosensors or implants. The invention correspondingly provides polymer conjugates for such coatings, methods of polymer conjugate formation, methods of polymer conjugate application and uses of such polymer conjugates. The invention also provides surfaces and devices at least partly coated with such polymer conjugates.

Abstract: A method for detecting and influencing an uptake of bioactive substances in a hydrogel material and/or release of bioactive substances from the hydrogel material, wherein the hydrogel material is a polymer network formed from charged and uncharged building blocks, the affinity of which network for bioactive substances is configurable by parameters defining the charged building blocks, and whose electrical charge storage capacity depend on interaction with the hydrogel binding of bioactive substances to the hydrogel material. When the hydrogel material is contacted with a biofluid, a change in electrical resistance and/or a change in charge storage capacity of the hydrogel material is detected. Uptake or a release of bioactive substances from the hydrogel material into the biofluid is determined by change in electrical resistance. The invention further relates to a suitable electrically conductive hydrogel material.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the formation of renal tubules by embedding individual renal cells into a synthetic hydrogel, which is based on polyethylene glycol as a component, and the culturing of the cells until tubule structures are formed. The culturing can be continued until the obtained tubule structures correspond in terms of size, structure, morphology and functionality to adult human renal tubules or are at least similar thereto.

Abstract: The invention relates to a hydrogel matrix comprising a mixture of a covalent peptide-polymer conjugate and an oligosaccharide; wherein the oligosaccharide is a highly negatively charged sulfated oligosaccharide selected from the group consisting of heparin, dextran sulfate, ?-cyclodextrin sulfate, ?-cyclodextrin sulfate and ?-cyclodextrin sulfate; wherein said polymer comprised in said peptide-polymer conjugate is a linear or multi-arm polyethylene glycol; wherein said peptide comprised in said peptide-polymer conjugate is a peptide, which consists of an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO.4, SEQ ID NO.5, SEQ ID NO. 18 and SEQ ID NO. 19; and wherein said hydrogel matrix is configured in the form of an oligosaccharide/peptide/polymer system, in which said peptide is chemically conjugated to the polymer such that the hydrogel is obtained by mixing the peptide-polymer conjugate and the oligosaccharide.

Abstract: The invention relates to a hydrogel matrix comprising a mixture of a covalent peptide-polymer conjugate and an oligosaccharide; wherein the oligosaccharide is a highly negatively charged sulfated oligosaccharide selected from the group consisting of heparin, dextran sulfate, ?-cyclodextrin sulfate, ?-cyclodextrin sulfate and ?-cyclodextrin sulfate; wherein said polymer comprised in said peptide-polymer conjugate is a linear or multi-arm polyethylene glycol; wherein said peptide comprised in said peptide-polymer conjugate is a peptide, which consists of an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO.4, SEQ ID NO.5, SEQ ID NO. 18 and SEQ ID NO. 19; and wherein said hydrogel matrix is configured in the form of an oligosaccharide/peptide/polymer system, in which said peptide is chemically conjugated to the polymer such that the hydrogel is obtained by mixing the peptide-polymer conjugate and the oligosaccharide.

Abstract: Device D for cultivating cell cultures C, wherein said device D has a surface O and comprises on its surface O at least one polymer P wherein said polymer P is a copolymer of at least one monomer M and at least one ester E of (meth)acrylic acid and polyethylene oxide, wherein said monomer M is different from ester E and has at least one ethylenically unsaturated double bond.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for the differentiated sequestration of substances of different substance groups A and B in a sulfated and/or sulfonated hydrogel while simultaneously releasing substances of substance group A or B from the sulfated and/or sulfonated hydrogel into the biofluid. The sulfated and/or sulfonated hydrogel is selected from a group of hydrogels of Type 1, 2, 3, 4 and consist of uncharged and charged components. The charged components are characterized by calculating the number of sulfated or sulfonated groups per repeat unit divided by the molecular mass of the repeat unit, for each of Type 1 2 3 and 4. The swollen hydrogels have a concentration of sulfated or sulfonated groups in mmol/ml for Type 1, Type 2, Type 3 and Type 4. The concentration of substances of each substance group A and group B in the biofluid is influenced by the selection of the type of hydrogel.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for forming a functional network of human neuronal and glial cells, wherein the cells are introduced into a synthetic hydrogel system with the components polyethylene glycol (PEG) and heparin and are cultivated therein. The cells are introduced into the PEG heparin hydrogel system together with one of the gel components, either PEG or heparin, with which the cells were previously mixed such that the cells are already located in the hydrogel system during the formation of the three-dimensional hydrogel.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the formation of renal tubules by embedding individual renal cells into a synthetic hydrogel, which is based on polyethylene glycol as a component, and the culturing of the cells until tubule structures are formed. The culturing can be continued until the obtained tubule structures correspond in terms of size, structure, morphology and functionality to adult human renal tubules or are at least similar thereto.

Abstract: The present invention refers to a bioactive coating material for coating plastic materials for cell cultures, comprising a polymer conjugate of each a polymer anchor molecule having surface active anchoring groups and one or more biologically active molecules. The anchor molecule is an amphiphilic molecule with a hydrophobic moiety of styrene-, methacrylic acid-, isobutene-, acrylic acid-, acrylic acid ester-, or methacrylic acid ester units and a hydrophilic moiety of units including carboxyl-, amino-, epoxide-, thiol-, alkine- or azide groups. By selecting cell instructive coating materials cell destiny choices are individually and effectively controllable, in particular, the cell adhesion of almost any cell culture one-way articles by the user. With this concept, new options open up for high-throughput-diagnostics, stem cell-biotechnology and regenerative therapies.

Abstract: The invention relates to the non-covalent, self-organizing hydrogel matrix for biotechnological applications containing a covalent polymer peptide conjugate, wherein the covalent polymer peptide conjugate includes conjugates of two or more peptides that are coupled to a polymer chain and the peptide sequence contains a recurring dipeptide motif (BA)n wherein B is an amino acid having positively charged side chain, A is alanine and n is an integer between 4 and 20.

Abstract: The invention relates to a bioactive hydrogel as a hybrid material of heparin and star-branched polyethylene glycol with functionalized end groups, wherein the heparin is bound directly by reaction of the carboxyl groups activated with 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimides/N-hydroxysulfosuccinimide (EDC/s-NHS) with the terminal amino groups of the polyethylene glycol covalently by amide bonds.

Abstract: The invention relates to a bioactive hydrogel as a hybrid material of heparin and star-branched polyethylene glycol with functionalized end groups, wherein the heparin is bound directly by reaction of the carboxyl groups activated with 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimides/N-hydroxysulfosuccinimide (EDC/s-NHS) with the terminal amino groups of the polyethylene glycol covalently by amide bonds.

Abstract: The invention relates to a bioactive hydrogel as a hybrid material of heparin and star-branched polyethylene glycol with functionalized end groups, wherein the heparin is bound directly by reaction of the carboxyl groups activated with 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimides/N-hydroxysulfosuccinimide (EDC/s-NHS) with the terminal amino groups of the polyethylene glycol covalently by amide bonds.

Abstract: The process for producing multilayered sheetlike structures, particles or fibers comprises the steps of (a) applying a reactive polycarboxylic acid or one of its derivatives atop a sheetlike, particulate or fibrous carrier material already comprising, or previously provided with, groups reactive toward, capable of covalent bonding with, the polycarboxylic acid or one of its derivatives, (b) if appropriate heating the carrier material treated in step (a) to a temperature in the range from 60° C. to 130° C. and preferably to a temperature in the range from 80° C. to 120° C. to hasten, complete or further optimize the covalent bonds, (c) applying atop the carrier material a cellulose capable of covalent bonding with the polycarboxylic acid or its derivatives.