Peptide-Based Star Polymers: The Rising Star in Functional Polymers

2012 ◽  
Vol 65 (8) ◽  
pp. 978 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrian Sulistio ◽  
Paul A. Gurr ◽  
Anton Blencowe ◽  
Greg G. Qiao

Peptide-based star polymers show great potential as the next-generation of functional polymers due to their structure-related properties. The peptide component augments the polymer’s properties by introducing biocompatible and biodegradable segments, and enhancing their functionalities and structural ordering, which make peptide-based star polymers an attractive candidate in the field of nanomedicine. This article provides a brief summary of the recent developments of peptide-based star polymers synthesised from 2009 onwards. It is evident that the studies conducted so far have only started to uncover the true potential of what these polymers can achieve, and with continued research it is anticipated that peptide-based star polymers will be realised as versatile platforms applicable to broader fields of study, including drug delivery, tissue engineering, biocoatings, bioimaging, and self-directing templating agents.

Author(s):  
Simona Campora ◽  
Giulio Ghersi

Nanotechnology is an emerging field of modern science based on the use of nanoparticles (NPs) with a huge potential in many sectors, including nanomedicine. Their small size confers them unique properties because they are subject to physical laws that are in the middle between classical and quantum physics. In this context, NPs project plays a pivotal role because the composition, size, shape and surface proprieties need to be carefully considered for their optimal design and application. As reported in this review, NPs are classified in inorganic (metallic NPs; quantum dots; carbon-based nanostructures; mesoporous silica nanoparticles) and organic (liposomes and micelles, dendrimers and polymer nanoparticles) ones. Here, we report an accurate description of the potential of each NPs type focusing on their multiple areas of application like theranostics drug delivery, imaging, tissue engineering, antimicrobial techniques and nanovaccines, and therefore they represent a promise to revolutionize the new era of nanomedicine, especially in cancer research.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (31) ◽  
pp. 6588-6609
Author(s):  
Alexandra Khlyustova ◽  
Yifan Cheng ◽  
Rong Yang

Vapor-deposited polymer thin films empower the next-generation biological applications including bio-separations, biosensors & bio-MEMS, drug delivery and tissue engineering.


2010 ◽  
Vol 83 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher J. Bettinger

Synthetic biodegradable elastomers are an emerging class of materials with many potential clinical applications including drug delivery and tissue engineering. Biodegradable elastomers offer advantages of structure diversity, tunable properties, and a wide range of processing capabilities. This review highlights some recent developments in various aspects of biodegradable materials synthesis, characterization, and processing with a specific focus on structure-processing–property relationships. Biodegradation mechanisms and issues regarding tissue biocompatibility of these materials are discussed. Applications of synthetic biodegradable elastomers, including use as a materials platform for controlled release systems, tissue engineering scaffolds, and engineered substrates for in vitro cell–biomaterials interactions will also be presented.


Gels ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 38
Author(s):  
Duygu Çimen ◽  
Merve Asena Özbek ◽  
Nilay Bereli ◽  
Bo Mattiasson ◽  
Adil Denizli

Cryogels are interconnected macroporous materials that are synthesized from a monomer solution at sub-zero temperatures. Cryogels, which are used in various applications in many research areas, are frequently used in biomedicine applications due to their excellent properties, such as biocompatibility, physical resistance and sensitivity. Cryogels can also be prepared in powder, column, bead, sphere, membrane, monolithic, and injectable forms. In this review, various examples of recent developments in biomedical applications of injectable cryogels, which are currently scarce in the literature, made from synthetic and natural polymers are discussed. In the present review, several biomedical applications of injectable cryogels, such as tissue engineering, drug delivery, therapeutic, therapy, cell transplantation, and immunotherapy, are emphasized. Moreover, it aims to provide a different perspective on the studies to be conducted on injectable cryogels, which are newly emerging trend.


Author(s):  
Vikas V. Gaikwad ◽  
Abasaheb B. Patil ◽  
Madhuri V. Gaikwad

Scaffolds are used for drug delivery in tissue engineering as this system is a highly porous structure to allow tissue growth.  Although several tissues in the body can regenerate, other tissue such as heart muscles and nerves lack regeneration in adults. However, these can be regenerated by supplying the cells generated using tissue engineering from outside. For instance, in many heart diseases, there is need for heart valve transplantation and unfortunately, within 10 years of initial valve replacement, 50–60% of patients will experience prosthesis associated problems requiring reoperation. This could be avoided by transplantation of heart muscle cells that can regenerate. Delivery of these cells to the respective tissues is not an easy task and this could be done with the help of scaffolds. In situ gel forming scaffolds can also be used for the bone and cartilage regeneration. They can be injected anywhere and can take the shape of a tissue defect, avoiding the need for patient specific scaffold prefabrication and they also have other advantages. Scaffolds are prepared by biodegradable material that result in minimal immune and inflammatory response. Some of the very important issues regarding scaffolds as drug delivery systems is reviewed in this article.


2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (28) ◽  
pp. 4584-4592 ◽  
Author(s):  
Avik Khan ◽  
Baobin Wang ◽  
Yonghao Ni

Regenerative medicine represents an emerging multidisciplinary field that brings together engineering methods and complexity of life sciences into a unified fundamental understanding of structure-property relationship in micro/nano environment to develop the next generation of scaffolds and hydrogels to restore or improve tissue functions. Chitosan has several unique physico-chemical properties that make it a highly desirable polysaccharide for various applications such as, biomedical, food, nutraceutical, agriculture, packaging, coating, etc. However, the utilization of chitosan in regenerative medicine is often limited due to its inadequate mechanical, barrier and thermal properties. Cellulosic nanomaterials (CNs), owing to their exceptional mechanical strength, ease of chemical modification, biocompatibility and favorable interaction with chitosan, represent an attractive candidate for the fabrication of chitosan/ CNs scaffolds and hydrogels. The unique mechanical and biological properties of the chitosan/CNs bio-nanocomposite make them a material of choice for the development of next generation bio-scaffolds and hydrogels for regenerative medicine applications. In this review, we have summarized the preparation method, mechanical properties, morphology, cytotoxicity/ biocompatibility of chitosan/CNs nanocomposites for regenerative medicine applications, which comprises tissue engineering and wound dressing applications.


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