Supramolecular Hydrogels for Protein Delivery in Tissue Engineering

Therapeutic proteins, such as growth factors (GFs), have been used in tissue engineering (TE) approaches for their ability to provide signals to cells and orchestrate the formation of functional tissue. However, to be effective and minimize off-target effects, GFs should be delivered at the target s...

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Main Authors: Yaqi Lyu, Helena S. Azevedo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-02-01
Series:Molecules
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/26/4/873
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author Yaqi Lyu
Helena S. Azevedo
author_facet Yaqi Lyu
Helena S. Azevedo
author_sort Yaqi Lyu
collection DOAJ
description Therapeutic proteins, such as growth factors (GFs), have been used in tissue engineering (TE) approaches for their ability to provide signals to cells and orchestrate the formation of functional tissue. However, to be effective and minimize off-target effects, GFs should be delivered at the target site with temporal control. In addition, protein drugs are typically sensitive water soluble macromolecules with delicate structure. As such, hydrogels, containing large amounts of water, provide a compatible environment for the direct incorporation of proteins within the hydrogel network, while their release rate can be tuned by engineering the network chemistry and density. Being formed by transient crosslinks, afforded by non-covalent interactions, supramolecular hydrogels offer important advantages for protein delivery applications. This review describes various types of supramolecular hydrogels using a repertoire of diverse building blocks, their use for protein delivery and their further application in TE contexts. By reviewing the recent literature on this topic, the merits of supramolecular hydrogels are highlighted as well as their limitations, with high expectations for new advances they will provide for TE in the near future.
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spelling doaj.art-de9e18aaecf44a0a9178fd2798349a772023-12-03T12:44:43ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492021-02-0126487310.3390/molecules26040873Supramolecular Hydrogels for Protein Delivery in Tissue EngineeringYaqi Lyu0Helena S. Azevedo1School of Engineering and Materials Science, Institute of Bioengineering, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UKSchool of Engineering and Materials Science, Institute of Bioengineering, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UKTherapeutic proteins, such as growth factors (GFs), have been used in tissue engineering (TE) approaches for their ability to provide signals to cells and orchestrate the formation of functional tissue. However, to be effective and minimize off-target effects, GFs should be delivered at the target site with temporal control. In addition, protein drugs are typically sensitive water soluble macromolecules with delicate structure. As such, hydrogels, containing large amounts of water, provide a compatible environment for the direct incorporation of proteins within the hydrogel network, while their release rate can be tuned by engineering the network chemistry and density. Being formed by transient crosslinks, afforded by non-covalent interactions, supramolecular hydrogels offer important advantages for protein delivery applications. This review describes various types of supramolecular hydrogels using a repertoire of diverse building blocks, their use for protein delivery and their further application in TE contexts. By reviewing the recent literature on this topic, the merits of supramolecular hydrogels are highlighted as well as their limitations, with high expectations for new advances they will provide for TE in the near future.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/26/4/873supramolecular interactionshydrogelsinjectablestimuli-responsivecontrolled releaseproteins drugs
spellingShingle Yaqi Lyu
Helena S. Azevedo
Supramolecular Hydrogels for Protein Delivery in Tissue Engineering
Molecules
supramolecular interactions
hydrogels
injectable
stimuli-responsive
controlled release
proteins drugs
title Supramolecular Hydrogels for Protein Delivery in Tissue Engineering
title_full Supramolecular Hydrogels for Protein Delivery in Tissue Engineering
title_fullStr Supramolecular Hydrogels for Protein Delivery in Tissue Engineering
title_full_unstemmed Supramolecular Hydrogels for Protein Delivery in Tissue Engineering
title_short Supramolecular Hydrogels for Protein Delivery in Tissue Engineering
title_sort supramolecular hydrogels for protein delivery in tissue engineering
topic supramolecular interactions
hydrogels
injectable
stimuli-responsive
controlled release
proteins drugs
url https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/26/4/873
work_keys_str_mv AT yaqilyu supramolecularhydrogelsforproteindeliveryintissueengineering
AT helenasazevedo supramolecularhydrogelsforproteindeliveryintissueengineering