TY - CHAP
T1 - Supramolecular hydrogels for regenerative medicine
AU - Pape, A.C.H.
AU - Dankers, P.Y.W.
PY - 2015
Y1 - 2015
N2 - Regenerative medicine is the science of re-creating or repairing living functional tissue, often inside the body. Biomaterials for regenerative medicine are inspired by the extracellular matrix (ECM), which provides the natural scaffold for cells inside the body. The use of supramolecular hydrogels as man-made tunable replacements for the ECM is being investigated because hydrogels offer an aqueous environment. In addition, supramolecular systems offer modularity and dynamics, also found in the ECM. This chapter gives an overview of translational research on different supramolecular hydrogels, showing systems that have been used in vivo in the field of regenerative medicine. We discuss the chemical structures and biomedical applications of various natural compounds, biosynthetic compounds, biohybrid systems, and fully synthetic materials. Furthermore, we discuss tuning of the mechanical properties and functionalization of these hydrogels with bioactive compounds. Both characteristics are essential for their function in contact with cells and for the creation of a regenerative niche, thereby controlling cellular adherence, proliferation, homing, and differentiation.
AB - Regenerative medicine is the science of re-creating or repairing living functional tissue, often inside the body. Biomaterials for regenerative medicine are inspired by the extracellular matrix (ECM), which provides the natural scaffold for cells inside the body. The use of supramolecular hydrogels as man-made tunable replacements for the ECM is being investigated because hydrogels offer an aqueous environment. In addition, supramolecular systems offer modularity and dynamics, also found in the ECM. This chapter gives an overview of translational research on different supramolecular hydrogels, showing systems that have been used in vivo in the field of regenerative medicine. We discuss the chemical structures and biomedical applications of various natural compounds, biosynthetic compounds, biohybrid systems, and fully synthetic materials. Furthermore, we discuss tuning of the mechanical properties and functionalization of these hydrogels with bioactive compounds. Both characteristics are essential for their function in contact with cells and for the creation of a regenerative niche, thereby controlling cellular adherence, proliferation, homing, and differentiation.
KW - Biomedical applications
KW - Regenerative medicine
KW - Supramolecular hydrogels
KW - Translational research
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84927732367&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/978-3-319-15404-6_7
DO - 10.1007/978-3-319-15404-6_7
M3 - Chapter
AN - SCOPUS:84927732367
SN - 978-3-319-15403-9
T3 - Advances in polymer science
SP - 253
EP - 279
BT - Supramolecular polymer networks and gels
A2 - Seiffert, S.
PB - Springer
ER -