MINI REVIEW article
Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol.
Sec. Biomaterials
Microenvironment-Responsive Peptide Hydrogels: Molecular Mechanisms, Design and Frontiers
Provisionally accepted
- 1West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- 2Chengdu Shangjin Nanfu Hospital, Chengdu, China
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Abstract 31 Responsive peptide hydrogels are advanced platforms for wound 32 management because they can dynamically interact with the wound 33 microenvironment. These smart materials respond to specific biochemical 34 cues such as pH, reactive oxygen species (ROS), matrix 35 metalloproteinases (MMPs), and glucose (Glu), enabling precise control 36 over drug release, enhancement of cellular repair, and suppression of 37 infection. By adapting to pathological conditions like elevated pH, 38 persistent oxidative stress, and enzymatic imbalances, peptide hydrogels 39 promote efficient healing in chronic wounds. Recent advances have 40 expanded their responsiveness to include physical stimuli like temperature, 41 light, and magnetic fields, broadening their applicability in deep and 42 complex wound treatments. Despite promising outcomes, challenges 43 remain in optimizing biocompatibility, biodegradability, and stimulus 44 precision. Future efforts will focus on developing multifunctional and 45 personalized hydrogel systems to achieve smarter, minimally invasive 46 therapeutic strategies for wound care and beyond.
Keywords: peptide hydrogels, Microenvironment-responsive, Wound Healing, Drug delivery, Smart biomaterials
Received: 27 Aug 2025; Accepted: 31 Oct 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Ma, Liu and Cao. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Xi Liu, 13540638434@163.com
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.