Choice of capping group in tripeptide hydrogels influences viability in the three-dimensional cell culture of tumor spheroids

Two peptide‐derived low‐molecular‐weight gelators bearing different capping groups, 9‐fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl (Fmoc) and phenothiazine, were synthesized and their gel networks were characterized. The variation of the N‐terminal capping group affects the viability of these hydrogels as a three‐dimensional cell culture for multicellular tumor spheroids. These results indicate that the phenothiazine capping group is a more biocompatible alternative to the widely used Fmoc moiety.