Bioresponsive Hydrogels: Chemical Strategies and Perspectives in Tissue Engineering

Abstract

Disease, trauma, and aging account for a significant number of clinical disorders. Regenerative medicine is emerging as a very promising therapeutic option. The design and development of new cell-customised biomaterials able to mimic extracellular matrix (ECM) functionalities represents one of the major strategies to control the cell fate and stimulate tissue regeneration. Recently, hydrogels have received a considerable interest for their use in the modulation and control of cell fate during the regeneration processes. Several synthetic bioresponsive hydrogels are being developed in order to facilitate cell-matrix and cell-cell interactions. In this review, new strategies and future perspectives of such synthetic cell microenvironments will be highlighted.

Keywords: bioconjugation; hydrogels; tissue engineering.

Figure 1

Chemical structure of some natural, and synthetic hydrogels.

Figure 2

Schematic representation of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-based hydrogels conjugated to EphA5-Fc and EphrinA5-Fc, tailored to sustain pancreatic β-cells survival.

Figure 3

Strategy for the synthesis of PEG hydrogels conjugated to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), through an enzyme-catalysed bioconjugation step, proposed to support primary human mesenchymal stem cells growth.

Figure 4

Strategy for the synthesis of photodegradable adhesive hydrogels for advanced 3D cell culture.

Figure 5

The chitosan-glutathione conjugated hydrogel able to suppress oxidative stress in cardiomiocytes.

Figure 6

Alginate-based hydrogel designed to promote osteogenesis in murine mesenchymal stem cells. (a) Conjugation strategy for the DWIVA peptide; (b) Conjugation strategy for the “knuckle epitope”.

Figure 7

Alginate-based hydrogels cross-linked through dopamine oxidation by horseradish peroxidase (HRP); biocompatibility was assayed with NIH 3T3 cells.