Trends in the Development of Tailored Elastin-Like Recombinamer–Based Porous Biomaterials for Soft and Hard Tissue Applications

Abstract

Porous biomaterials are of significant interest in a variety of biomedical applications as they enable the diffusion of nutrients and gases as well as the removal of metabolic waste from implants. Pores also provide 3D spaces for cell compartmentalization and the development of complex structures such as vasculature and the extracellular matrix. Given the variation in the extracellular matrix composition across and within different tissues, it is necessary to tailor the physicochemical characteristics of biomaterials and or surfaces thereof for optimal bespoke applications. In this regard, different synthetic and natural polymers have seen increased usage in the development of biomaterials and surface coatings; among them, elastin-like polypeptides and their recombinant derivatives have received increased advocacy. The modular assembly of these molecules, which can be controlled at a molecular level, presents a flexible platform for the endowment of bespoke biomaterial properties. In this review, various elastin-like recombinamer–based porous biomaterials for both soft and hard tissue applications are discussed and their current and future applications evaluated.

Quercetin-Embedded Gelastin Injectable Hydrogel as Provisional Biotemplate for Future Cutaneous Application: Optimization and In Vitro Evaluation

“…In comparison to non-crosslinked gelatin hydrogel with an average pore size of 116 ± 55 μm, 125 ± 37 μm genipin crosslinked gelatin hydrogels show an increase in the average pore size of GCL (132 ± 43 μm); GECL (188 ± 90 μm); QC 0.1 (135 ± 24 μm); QC 0.3 (220 ± 52 μm); and QC 0.5 (142 ± 28 μm). An ideal pore size for adult mammalian skin regeneration ranges between 20 and 125 μm, and an increase in pore size has been proven to elevate cell ECM secretion and cell proliferation [ 24 ] (ANOVA and Tukey post hoc analysis, p < 0.05).…”

Freeze–Thaw-Induced Physically Cross-linked Superabsorbent Polyvinyl Alcohol/Soy Protein Isolate Hydrogels for Skin Wound Dressing: In Vitro and In Vivo Characterization

“…In the literature, various methods have been utilized to prepare a porous scaffold. These include salt leaching, freeze-drying, thermal-induced phase separation, gas foaming, electrospinning, 3D bioprinting, and freeze–thawing . The freeze–thaw method provides certain advantages over the other existing methods such as radiation-induced, enzymatic, and chemical cross-linking .…”

“…These include salt leaching, freezedrying, thermal-induced phase separation, gas foaming, electrospinning, 3D bioprinting, and freeze−thawing. 15 The freeze− thaw method provides certain advantages over the other existing methods such as radiation-induced, enzymatic, and chemical cross-linking. 16 It is a simple process that does not require high temperatures or any chemical treatment.…”

Self‐assembling systems comprising intrinsically disordered protein polymers like elastin‐like recombinamers

“…On the contrary, in amyloid formation, the content of total P + G is lower than 0.3 (Figure 3). With 60% glycine and 20% proline, the pentapeptide building block of ELRs represents an almost perfect elastomeric protein; however, this feature F I G U R E 3 Proline and glycine composition of elastomeric and amyloidogenic sequences for different polypeptides including Bioforge elastinlike recombinamers (ELRs) (with permision from Mbundi et al 109 original one from Rauscher et al 55 ). There is an area in the graph (dotted lines) where the coexistence of both elastomeric and amyloidogenic properties occurs.…”