Intelligent ECM mimetic injectable scaffolds based on functional collagen building blocks for tissue engineering and biomedical applications

Hydrogels comprising natural extracellular matrix (ECM) components are very attractive as scaffolds for regenerative medicine applications due to their inherent biointeractive properties. Responsive materials that adapt to their surrounding environments and regulate transport of ions and bioactive molecules manifest significant advantages for biomedical applications. Although there are many exciting challenges, the opportunity to design, fabricate and engineer stimuli-responsive polymeric systems based on ECM components is particularly attractive for regenerative medicine. Here we describe a one-pot approach to fabricate in situ fast gellable intelligent ECM mimetic scaffolds, based on methacrylated collagen building blocks with mechanical properties that can be modulated in the kPa-MPa range and that are suitable for both soft and hard tissues. Physiochemical characterizations demonstrate their temperature and pH responsiveness, together with the structural and enzymatic resistance that make them suitable scaffolds for long-term use in regenerative medicine and biomedical applications. The multifunctionality of these hydrogels has been demonstrated as an in situ depot-forming delivery platform for the adjustable controlled release of proteins and small drug molecules under physiological conditions and as a structural support for adhesion, proliferation and metabolic activities of human cells. The results presented herein should be useful to the design and fabrication of tailor-made scaffolds with tunable properties that retain and exhibit sustained release of growth factors for promoting tissue regeneration.