Multifunctional tendon-mimetic hydrogels.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 36800416.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1126/sciadv.ade6973 and PMC identifier 9937573.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
We report multifunctional tendon-mimetic hydrogels constructed from anisotropic assembly of aramid nanofiber composites. The stiff nanofibers and soft polyvinyl alcohol in these anisotropic composite hydrogels (ACHs) mimic the structural interplay between aligned collagen fibers and proteoglycans in tendons. The ACHs exhibit a high modulus of ~1.1 GPa, strength of ~72 MPa, fracture toughness of 7333 J/m<sup>2</sup>, and many additional characteristics matching those of natural tendons, which was not achieved with previous synthetic hydrogels. The surfaces of ACHs were functionalized with bioactive molecules to present biophysical cues for the modulation of morphology, phenotypes, and other behaviors of attached cells. Moreover, soft bioelectronic components can be integrated on ACHs, enabling in situ sensing of various physiological parameters. The outstanding mechanics and functionality of these tendon mimetics suggest their further applications in advanced tissue engineering, implantable prosthetics, human-machine interactions, and other technologies.
Medical subject headings
- Tissue Scaffolds
- Nanofibers