Mussel-Mimetic Protein-Based Adhesive Hydrogel
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Abstract
Hydrogel systems based on cross-linked
polymeric materials which
could provide both adhesion and cohesion in wet environment have been
considered as a promising formulation of tissue adhesives. Inspired
by marine mussel adhesion, many researchers have tried to exploit
the 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) molecule as a cross-linking
mediator of synthetic polymer-based hydrogels which is known to be
able to achieve cohesive hardening as well as adhesive bonding with
diverse surfaces. Beside DOPA residue, composition of other amino
acid residues and structure of mussel adhesive proteins (MAPs) have
also been considered important elements for mussel adhesion. Herein,
we represent a novel protein-based hydrogel system using DOPA-containing
recombinant MAP. Gelation can be achieved using both oxdiation-induced
DOPA quinone-mediated covalent and Fe<sup>3+</sup>-mediated coordinative
noncovalent cross-linking. Fe<sup>3+</sup>-mediated hydrogels show
deformable and self-healing viscoelastic behavior in rheological analysis,
which is also well-reflected in bulk adhesion strength measurement.
Quinone-mediated hydrogel has higher cohesive strength and can provide
sufficient gelation time for easier handling. Collectively, our newly
developed MAP hydrogel can potentially be used as tissue adhesive
and sealant for future applications