Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Simona Summonte, Giuseppe Francesco Racaniello, Angela Lopedota, Nunzio Denora, Andreas Bernkop-Schnuerch
Summary: Thiomers, such as thiolated hyaluronic acid and chitosan, are widely studied for their high reactivity in hydrogel synthesis. They exhibit in situ gelling properties and can undergo various click reactions, making them versatile materials for tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and drug delivery.
JOURNAL OF CONTROLLED RELEASE
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Maria Demeter, Ion Calina, Anca Scarisoreanu, Valentina Mitran, Marcela Popa, Anisoara Cimpean, Mariana Carmen Chifiriuc, Marin Micutz, Elena Matei, Bogdana Mitu
Summary: Novel biocompatible composite hydrogels with good elastic and antimicrobial properties were synthesized by e-beam cross-linking using chitosan, water-soluble polymers, and silver nanoparticles (AgNP). The composite hydrogels showed high stability, absorption capability specific to infected wounds, and biocompatibility. The antimicrobial activity was influenced by the amount of AgNP and cross-linking degree, with significant inhibition against Gram-negative bacteria.
RADIATION PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY
(2024)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Wancheng Chen, Sijie Yuan, Jie Shen, Yongsheng Chen, Yang Xiao
Summary: The composite hydrogel CH-P 40% demonstrated a dense network structure, retained various chemical bonds, cellulose crystal structures, and showed favorable thermal stability. It also exhibited increased cell proliferation rates and no pathological lesions in mouse organs, indicating good biocompatibility. Additionally, the hydrogel-treated liver wounds showed less bleeding within 3 minutes, highlighting its potential as a rapid hemostatic biomedical material.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zhixuan Liang, Yiheng Li, Liu He, Zhi Gao, Zhenbin Tang, Yiting Xu, Birong Zeng, Weiang Luo, Guorong Chen, Conghui Yuan, Lizong Dai
Summary: A delayed cross-linking strategy is developed to make hydrogels evolvable. The study shows that mechanical stimulation can strengthen the hydrogels, and the hydrogels can self-evolve in a damage-healing process.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Cristiana S. A. Bento, Marisa C. Gaspar, Patricia Coimbra, Herminio C. de Sousa, Mara E. M. Braga
Summary: Hydrogels are widely used in biomedicine as drug delivery systems, wound dressings, contact lenses, and tissue engineering scaffolds. However, their high sensitivity to terminal sterilization poses a challenge for researchers. This paper reviews the literature on hydrogel sterilization, covering conventional methods and emerging techniques, as well as considerations for aseptic processing. It also provides a summary of hydrogel materials, network types, and biomedical applications.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICS
(2023)
Review
Polymer Science
Toby A. Adjuik, Sue E. Nokes, Michael D. Montross
Summary: The purpose of this review is to summarize the methods and mechanisms involved in the biodegradation of bio-based and synthetic SAPs, evaluate their biodegradability as soil amendments, discuss the implications of their biodegradability on their physical properties and stability in soil, and identify potential research directions.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kok Zhi Lee, Juya Jeon, Bojing Jiang, Shri Venkatesh Subramani, Jingyao Li, Fuzhong Zhang
Summary: Protein hydrogels, with their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and versatility for modifications, have become attractive materials for various medical applications. Recent advancements in protein engineering, synthetic biology, and material science have allowed for precise control over protein sequences, hydrogel structures, and mechanical properties, expanding the range of biomedical applications for protein hydrogels. This review focuses on recent progress in protein hydrogels, particularly those produced by microorganisms, discussing different formation strategies, associated properties, and biomedical applications categorized by protein sequence origins. The current challenges and future opportunities in engineering protein-based hydrogels are also discussed, aiming to inspire material innovation and the development of advanced protein hydrogels with desired properties for diverse biomedical applications.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xiao Li, Minghao Li, Lisa Tang, Diwei Shi, Emily Lam, Jinhye Bae
Summary: This review explores the potential of stimuli-responsive hydrogels in mimicking the morphing behavior of living tissues or organisms, and discusses how functional additives can be combined with hydrogels to extend their functionalities. It also highlights the potential applications of stimuli-responsive composite hydrogels in various fields including soft robotics, information encryption/decryption, biomedical research, flexible electronics, and engineering living materials.
MATERIALS CHEMISTRY FRONTIERS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Pengxiang Xu, Jiangfeng Song, Zhuqing Dai, Yayuan Xu, Dajing Li, Caie Wu
Summary: The study investigated the construction of nano-lutein hydrogels with sustained release properties by cross-linking with different concentrations of Ca2+. Results showed that the highest loading capacity for lutein reached 770.88 μg/g, with an encapsulation efficiency of 99.39%. The presence of lutein nanoparticles and increased Ca2+ concentration both affected the physical properties and swelling behavior of the hydrogel. The stability of cross-linked ionic bonds in the hydrogel was reduced by lutein nanoparticles and excessive Ca2+, impacting its thermodynamic stability.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Sylwia Grabska-Zielinska, Alina Sionkowska
Summary: This review provides an overview of the recent advances in silk fibroin (SF) biopolymer and its blends with other biopolymers as new biomaterials, highlighting the improved physico-chemical properties and potential applications in the biomedical field. The review also discusses the structure, forms, preparation methods, and some physico-chemical properties of silk fibroin-based mixtures, showcasing examples of binary and ternary mixtures with the addition of various components. Additionally, the advantages and disadvantages of different cross-linking methods are also presented.
Review
Chemistry, Applied
Dinesh K. Patel, Eunseo Jung, Sahariya Priya, So-Yeon Won, Sung Soo Han
Summary: Hydrogels are polymer chains with a three-dimensional network structure containing a large amount of water. They have attracted significant attention in biomedical applications due to their flexibility, softness, biodegradability, and biocompatibility. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the synthesis methods, advantages, disadvantages, and biomedical applications of biopolymers-based hydrogels, particularly in bone regeneration, wound healing, drug delivery, bioimaging, and therapy. The challenges and prospects of biopolymers-based hydrogels are also discussed, providing insights into the progress and practical applications of these hydrogels.
CARBOHYDRATE POLYMERS
(2024)
Review
Polymer Science
Yaxin Xie, Qiuyue Guan, Jiusi Guo, Yilin Chen, Yijia Yin, Xianglong Han
Summary: Hydrogels, as hydrophilic polymer networks, have shown significant potential in biomedical applications. Recent studies have focused on embedding exosomes into hydrogels to maintain their biological activity and achieve controlled release.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Liling Chen, Run Meng, Rui Qing, Wenfeng Li, Ziwei Wang, Yao Hou, Jia Deng, Wei Pu, Zibin Gao, Bochu Wang, Shilei Hao
Summary: We have successfully developed robust keratin hydrogels based on mechanism study through recombinant proteins, which outperform combinations of native proteins in mechanical properties and in biomedical applications.
Article
Polymer Science
Hisatoyo Morinaga, Yutaka Koike
Summary: In this study, the epoxy-carboxylic acid reaction was examined using two diastereomers of biobased bis-functional epoxides and polyhydric carboxylic acid. The results showed that the network polymers derived from bis-trans-LO had superior properties compared to those derived from bis-cis-LO. The reprocessability of the network polymer was confirmed in the presence of Zn(acac)(2), but the tensile strength decreased after the second cycle.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Ziyuan Li, Fuping Lu, Yihan Liu
Summary: This review discusses the preparation methods of hydrogels and their wide applications in biology, tissue engineering, and biomedical fields. However, the existing physical and chemical methods have limitations such as low bioaffinity, weak mechanical properties, and unstable structures. The enzymatic cross-linking method, on the other hand, offers advantages such as high catalytic efficiency, mild reaction conditions, and non-toxic substances. This review also introduces the applications and properties of hydrogels prepared by enzymatic methods and provides suggestions for the future development of enzymatic cross-linking in hydrogel preparation.
JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Johar Amin Ahmed Abdullah, Emre Yemisken, Antonio Guerrero, Alberto Romero
Summary: The use of biopolymer-based films as alternatives to plastic-based films has become more popular due to their non-toxic properties, flexibility, and affordability. However, these films have limitations in their application. The present study aimed to strengthen marine collagen-based films with iron oxide nanoparticles (IO-NPs), graphene oxide nanoparticles (GO-NPs), or a combination of both as antibacterial and antioxidant additives. The results showed that the combination of GO-NPs/IO-NPs significantly improved the physicochemical properties of the films and added antioxidant and antibacterial value.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Hanaa Mehdi-Sefiani, Victor Perez-Puyana, Francisco Jose Ostos, Ranier Sepulveda, Alberto Romero, Mohammed Rafii-El-Idrissi Benhnia, Ernesto Chicardi
Summary: A gelatin-based hydrogel was used to infiltrate and degrade-release in two different titanium foams with porosities of 30 and 60 vol.%, showing higher infiltration rate in the Ti60 foam and faster degradation rate in the Ti30 foam. The hydrogel also exhibited optimal biocompatibility with no cytotoxicity and promotion of cell growth.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Mercedes Jimenez-Rosado, Victor Perez-Puyana, Alberto Romero
Summary: Climate change, waste accumulation, microplastics generation, and raw material scarcity have led to a shift from a linear economic system to a circular system. Policies like the European Green Deal and Horizon Europe have been developed in response. This opinion review discusses the use of biowaste for superabsorbent material production as an example of circular economy application, highlighting limitations that have hindered market inclusion. While biowaste utilization is essential for change, further research is needed to enhance product competitiveness.
CURRENT OPINION IN FOOD SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Johar Amin Ahmed Abdullah, Mercedes Jimenez-Rosado, Antonio Guerrero, Alberto Romero
Summary: Nowadays, antioxidants and antibacterial activity have become increasingly important in biosystems due to biochemical and biological reactions involving free radicals and pathogen growth. Nanomaterials are being used as antioxidants and bactericidal agents to minimize these reactions. However, there is a lack of understanding about the antioxidant and bactericidal capacities of iron oxide nanoparticles. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of calcination, specifically different temperatures and times, on the synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles and their properties.
Article
Polymer Science
Daniel Castro-Criado, Johar Amin Ahmed Abdullah, Alberto Romero, Mercedes Jimenez-Rosado
Summary: Beer bagasse, a highly undervalued residue in the industry, with its high protein and polysaccharide content, has the potential to be used in the manufacture of bioplastics. However, its high water content requires stabilization before being considered as a raw material. This study evaluated different drying methods and found that freeze-drying was the most suitable for stabilizing the bagasse. The produced bioplastics showed appropriate properties for applications in horticulture and agriculture.
Article
Polymer Science
Daniel Castro-Criado, Octavio Rivera-Flores, Johar Amin Ahmed Abdullah, Elia Castro-Osorto, Maria Alonso-Gonzalez, Lucy Ramos-Casco, Victor M. Perez-Puyana, Marlon Sanchez-Barahona, Pablo Sanchez-Cid, Mercedes Jimenez-Rosado, Alberto Romero
Summary: The development of biodegradable plastics and eco-friendly biomaterials from agricultural waste and rejected food is important for reducing environmental damage. This research investigated the fabrication and characterization of bioplastics using three types of Honduran agro-wastes: taro, yucca, and banana. The results showed the potential of these agro-wastes for producing bioplastics with different characteristics, promoting the circular economy.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
G. Gonzalez-Ulloa, M. Jimenez-Rosado, M. Rafii-El-Idrissi Benhnia, A. Romero, E. Ruiz-Mateos, F. J. Ostos, V. Perez-Puyana
Summary: In the field of regenerative medicine, hydrogels are widely recognized as a suitable option for tissue regeneration due to their elastic properties and high water absorption capacity. This study aimed to develop and characterize polymeric hydrogels based on collagen and gelatin, both of which are considered good candidates due to their biocompatibility. The results showed that hydrogels formed from the mixture of collagen and gelatin retained the viscoelastic properties of collagen while demonstrating low cytotoxicity and hemocompatibility similar to gelatin. However, further research is needed to address the suboptimal thermal characteristics for biomedical applications.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR LIQUIDS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Pablo Sanchez-Cid, Gabriel Gonzalez-Ulloa, Maria Alonso-Gonzalez, Mercedes Jimenez-Rosado, Mohammed Rafii-El-Idrissi Benhnia, Alberto Romero, Francisco J. Ostos, Victor M. Perez-Puyana
Summary: In this study, chitosan-based hydrogels were crosslinked using natural crosslinkers D-fructose and genipin, and characterized through various tests. The results showed that genipin crosslinking resulted in hydrogels with more compact structures and better rheological performance compared to D-fructose crosslinking. Additionally, the genipin-crosslinked hydrogels exhibited excellent biological performance in vitro.
MACROMOLECULAR MATERIALS AND ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Mercedes Jimenez-Rosado, Michele Di Foggia, Serena Rosignoli, Antonio Guerrero, Adamo Domenico Rombola, Alberto Romero
Summary: This study investigates the use of controlled-release protein-based matrices for massive crops like barley. By analyzing different barley cultivars and using protein-based matrices as fertilizers, it is found that this method can improve seed germination and zinc content in plants.
RENEWABLE AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SYSTEMS
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Daniel Castro-Criado, Mercedes Jimenez-Rosado, Victor Perez-Puyana, Alberto Romero
Summary: The production of functional foods has been improved with nanoemulsion technology, which involves the encapsulation of bioactive compounds in beverages to control their integrity and release in the intestinal tract. In this study, a protein-rich by-product was evaluated as a potential emulsifier, and emulsions with different soy protein isolate concentrations, pH values, and homogenization pressures were prepared. Physical and rheological characterizations were conducted to determine their stability and potential as delivery emulsion systems. The best stability was achieved when the protein concentration was 2.0 wt%, pH 2.0, and a homogenization pressure of 120 PSI was applied.
