Biomimetic Hydrogels

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue, entitled 'Biomimetic Hydrogels', is devoted to recent advancements in the field of hydrogels which address the challenge of reproducing the chemical, mechanical and physical properties of the physiological environment. The 3D environment accommodates and directs cell behaviour in our body. For example, in our body, cells are embedded in an extracellular matrix (ECM), which is a gel. It is a host for cells and an environment rich in biological cues influencing cell behaviour. On the epithelium, mucin forms a mucus gel that lubricates the moist epithelium and provides protection from irritants and infection. A biomedical approach allows us to synthesise hydrogels that mimic the nature of our bodies and mimic their properties, including mechanical, structural, and compositional factors, alone or in concert, which can dramatically regulate cell behaviour and alter cell function. Over the last three decades, based on advancements in tissue engineering, three-dimensional materials have been developed that approximate neurophysiology to in vivo conditions. Based on advancements in synthetic mucin hydrogels, several mucin-based hydrogels have been developed which mimic the function of natural mucus.

This Special Issue focuses on the design of such biomimetic hydrogels by controlling their synthesis and characterisation, including theoretical and fundamental aspects. Their physicochemical properties can be influenced by the choice of polymer and crosslinking chemistry, among other factors. Many new technologies such as rheology, tribology, diverse microscopy techniques and sensors are needed and developed for the characterisation of hydrogels. These physicochemical properties, together with the biochemical characteristics of hydrogels, are tailored to targeted biomedical applications. The recent development of biomimetic functional hydrogels for use in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, immunotherapy and infections will be addressed.

Dr. Hongji Yan
Dr. Hongya Geng
Dr. Håvard J. Haugen
Dr. Paola Petrini
Guest Editors

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