Luminescent Biofunctional Collagen Mimetic Nanofibers

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Peptide Self-Assembly
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Collagen is a key target for biomimetic design due to its unique properties.
• Mimicking both the structure and function of collagen with self-assembling peptides remains challenging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize collagen-like peptides that self-assemble into nanofibers mimicking natural collagen's structure and function.
• To explore the use of lanthanide ions for controlled self-assembly and material functionalization.

Main Methods:

• Synthesized collagen-like peptides incorporating negatively charged amino acids and the GFOGER motif.
• Utilized lanthanide ions to mediate self-assembly into ordered nanofibers with periodic banding.
• Investigated pH-dependent modulation of peptide aggregation and morphology.

Main Results:

• Achieved self-assembly of peptides into well-ordered nanofibers with lanthanide-mediated periodic banding.
• Demonstrated pH-cooperative modulation of aggregation and morphology, mimicking Type I collagen fibrillogenesis.
• Developed luminescent nanofibers with enhanced cell adhesion properties.

Conclusions:

• A facile peptide-lanthanide ion system successfully generated nanofibers mimicking collagen's structural and functional attributes.
• The resulting pH-responsive, luminescent, and biofunctional nanofibers show promise for tissue engineering and diagnostics.