Journal article
Tuneable Hybrid Hydrogels via Complementary Self-Assembly of a Bioactive Peptide with a Robust Polysaccharide
Kate Firipis, Mitchell Boyd-Moss, Benjamin Long, Chaitali Dekiwadia, William Hoskin, Elena Pirogova, David R Nisbet, Robert M Kapsa, Anita F Quigley, Richard J Williams
ACS BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING | AMER CHEMICAL SOC | Published : 2021
Abstract
Synthetic materials designed for improved biomimicry of the extracellular matrix must contain fibrous, bioactive, and mechanical cues. Self-assembly of low molecular weight gelator (LMWG) peptides Fmoc-DIKVAV (Fmoc-aspartic acid-isoleucine-lysine-valine-alanine-valine) and Fmoc-FRGDF (Fmoc-phenylalanine-arginine-glycine-aspartic acid-phenylalanine) creates fibrous and bioactive hydrogels. Polysaccharides such as agarose are biocompatible, degradable, and non-toxic. Agarose and these Fmoc-peptides have both demonstrated efficacy in vitro and in vivo. These materials have complementary properties; agarose has known mechanics in the physiological range but is inert and would benefit from bioact..
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Awarded by NHMRC Dementia Research Leadership Fellowship
Funding Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge the facilities, and the scientific and technical assistance, of the RMIT Microscopy & Microanalysis Research Facility at RMIT University. The authors also acknowledge the support of the St. Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne Research Endowment Fund. K.F. is supported by an RMIT Research Stipend, an RMIT Engineering Scholarship and an Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship. D.R.N. was supported by a NHMRC Dementia Research Leadership Fellowship (GNT1135687). This research was undertaken on the small-angle X-ray scattering beamline at the Australian Synchrotron, part of ANSTO (application AS182/SAXS/13541).