Peptides and polypeptides feature
a variety of active
functional
groups on their side chains (including carboxylic acid, hydroxyl,
amino, and thiol groups), enabling diverse chemical modifications.
This versatility makes them highly valuable in stimuli-responsive
systems. Notably, pH-responsive peptides and polypeptides, due to
their ability to respond to pH changes, hold significant promise for
applications in cellular pathology and tumor targeting. Extensive
researches have highlighted the potentials of low pH insertion peptides
(pHLIPs), peptide-drug conjugates (PDCs), and antibody–drug
conjugates (ADCs) in biomedicine. Peptide self-assemblies, with their
structural stability, ease of regulation, excellent biocompatibility,
and biodegradability, offer immense potentials in the development
of novel materials and biomedical applications. We also explore specific
examples of their applications in drug delivery, tumor targeting,
and tissue engineering, while discussing future challenges and potential
advancements in the field of pH-responsive self-assembling peptide-based
biomaterials.