Real-time mechanosensing in engineered tissue models

The authors developed a stretchable, piezoresistive PEDOT:PSS-based hydrogel integrated with a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)– alginate matrix for real-time mechanical sensing in soft t issues. 

The sensor was co-printed with a muscle cell-laden bioink, enabling stable, complex tissue architectures and supporting cellular maturation.

The hydrogel exhibits a linear strain response with a gauge factor of 0.7 at 100% strain and detects strains as low as ∼3% within engineered tissues.

The embedded hydrogel functions as a flexible strain sensor, capable of detecting both bulk and localized mechanical stimuli within engineered tissues.

 This system allows spatial mapping of mechanical forces, offering a novel strategy for real-time mechanosensing in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

https://www.cell.com/trends/biotechnology/fulltext/S0167-7799(25)00212-4

https://sciencemission.com/mechanosensing-in-engineered-tissue-models