AUTHOR=Xuan Qize , Wang Yibing , Chen Chao , Wang Ping 

TITLE=Rational Biological Interface Engineering: Amyloidal Supramolecular Microstructure-Inspired Hydrogel

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology

VOLUME=Volume 9 - 2021

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/bioengineering-and-biotechnology/articles/10.3389/fbioe.2021.718883

DOI=10.3389/fbioe.2021.718883

ISSN=2296-4185

ABSTRACT=Amyloidal proteins, which are prone to form fibrillar and ordered aggregates in vivo and in vitro, underlie the mechanism for neurodegenerative disorders and also play essential functions in the process of life. Amyloid fibrils typically adopt distinctive -sheet structure which renders them with inherent extracellular matrix (ECM)-mimicking properties, such as powerful mechanical strength, promising adhesion, and antibacterial activity. Additionally, amyloidal proteins are a category of programmable self-assembled macromolecules, and their assembly and consequent nanostructure can be manipulated rationally. Above advantages motivate researchers to investigate the potential of amyloidal proteins as a novel type of hydrogel materials. Currently, amyloid-inspired hydrogel has become an emerging area and been widely applied in a variety of biomedical fields, including tissue repair, cell scaffolds, and drug delivery, etc. In this review, we focus on the discussion of the molecular mechanisms underlying the hydrogelation of amyloidal proteins, and introduce the advances achieved in the biomedical applications of amyloid-inspired hydrogels.