Description
GelMA is popular because it combines the biological properties of gelatin with the control of a synthetic material. It retains key cell-interaction features of gelatin while enabling stable hydrogel formation through light exposure. Once exposed to light, it forms a stable hydrogel that supports cell attachment, growth, and organisation.
It’s commonly used for:
- 3D cell culture and organoids
- Tissue engineering scaffolds
- 3D bioprinting
- Drug testing and disease models
Because the material can be tuned, it’s possible to create softer or stiffer environments depending on what your cells need. This allows the hydrogel to be adapted to different tissue types and experimental conditions.
Available GelMA Hydrogel Options
Smart MCs offers Gelatin Methacryloyl (GelMA) hydrogel in three standard formulations. Each GelMA product is supplied as a set with LAP photoinitiator included.
GM-30 Set
Includes:
- 1 g GM-30 GelMA hydrogel
- 0.05 g LAP photoinitiator
GM-30 has low methacrylation, around 30 ± 5%, and is suitable for softer gels, gentle cell culture conditions, and applications where easier cell spreading is preferred.
GM-60 Set
Includes:
- 1 g GM-60 GelMA hydrogel
- 0.05 g LAP photoinitiator
GM-60 has medium methacrylation, around 60 ± 5%, and provides a balanced option for general 3D cell culture, tissue models, and bioprinting applications.
GM-90 Set
Includes:
- 1 g GM-90 GelMA hydrogel
- 0.05 g LAP photoinitiator
GM-90 has high methacrylation, around 90 ± 5%, and is suitable for stiffer hydrogels, improved shape stability, and 3D hydrogel structures.
All variants are supplied as white, sponge-like materials with a molecular weight range of 100–200 kDa.
Performance
Our GelMA is designed to be consistent and easy to work with across different workflows.
- Stiffness can be tuned depending on the formulation
- Crosslinking is fast and reliable under light exposure
- Suitable for both extrusion and light-based bioprinting
- Supports high cell viability
Detailed characterisation data is available on request.
Custom options
We can also modify GelMA depending on your project, including:
- High porosity formulations
- Fluorescent GelMA
- Peptide-functionalised hydrogels
- Hybrid hydrogel systems
