Advancing Synthetic Hydrogels through Nature‐Inspired Materials Chemistry
Bram G. Solimana b c d, Ashley K. Nguyena b c d, J. Justin Goodinga b c d, Kristopher Alan Kiliana b c d e f✉
- aAustralian Centre for NanoMedicine University of New South Wales Sydney Sydney NSW 2052 Australia
- bSchool of Chemistry University of New South Wales Sydney NSW 2052 Australia
- cAustralian Centre for NanoMedicine, University of New South Wales Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2052 Australia
- dSchool of Chemistry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052 Australia
- eSchool of Materials Science and Engineering University of New South Wales Sydney NSW 2052 Australia
- fSchool of Materials Science and Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052 Australia
- ✉Corresponding author
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Abstract
Synthetic extracellular matrix (ECM) mimics that can recapitulate the complex biochemical and mechanical nature of native tissues are needed for advanced models of development and disease. Biomedical research has heavily relied on the use of animal-derived biomaterials, which is now impeding their translational potential and convoluting the biological insights gleaned from in vitro tissue models. Natural hydrogels have long served as a convenient and effective cell culture tool, but advances in materials chemistry and fabrication techniques now present promising new avenues for creating xenogenic-free ECM substitutes appropriate for organotypic models and microphysiological systems. However, significant challenges remain in creating synthetic matrices that can approximate the structural sophistication, biochemical complexity, and dynamic functionality of native tissues. This review summarizes key properties of the native ECM, and discusses recent approaches used to systematically decouple and tune these properties in synthetic matrices. The importance of dynamic ECM mechanics, such as viscoelasticity and matrix plasticity, is also discussed, particularly within the context of organoid and engineered tissue matrices. Emerging design strategies to mimic these dynamic mechanical properties are reviewed, such as multi-network hydrogels, supramolecular chemistry, and hydrogels assembled from biological monomers.