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Updated: Oct 5, 2025
TAPE: A Biodegradable Hemostatic Glue Inspired by a Ubiquitous Compound in Plants for Surgical Application
Published on: June 8, 2016
Bio-based and bio-inspired adhesives from animals and plants for biomedical applications
Theresa M Lutz1,2, Ceren Kimna1,2, Angela Casini3
1School of Engineering and Design, Department of Materials Engineering, Technical University of Munich, Boltzmannstraße 15, Garching, 85748, Germany.
Abstract:
With the "many-headed" slime mold Physarum polycelphalum having been voted the unicellular organism of the year 2021 by the German Society of Protozoology, we are reminded that a large part of nature's huge variety of life forms is easily overlooked - both by the general public and researchers alike. Indeed, whereas several animals such as mussels or spiders have already inspired many scientists to create novel materials with glue-like properties, there is much more to discover in the flora and fauna. Here, we provide an overview of naturally occurring slimy substances with adhesive properties and categorize them in terms of the main chemical motifs that convey their stickiness, i.e., carbohydrate-, protein-, and glycoprotein-based biological glues. Furthermore, we highlight selected recent developments in the area of material design and functionalization that aim at making use of such biological compounds for novel applications in medicine - either by conjugating adhesive motifs found in nature to biological or synthetic macromolecules or by synthetically creating (multi-)functional materials, which combine adhesive properties with additional, problem-specific (and sometimes tunable) features.
Insights
Nature
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Synthetic Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Nature offers diverse biological glues, often overlooked, with potential for novel material applications.
- Slime mold Physarum polycephalum highlights the vast, under-explored biological world.
- Existing research on animal-derived adhesives (e.g., mussels, spiders) inspires biomimetic materials.
Purpose of the Study:
- To overview naturally occurring slimy substances with adhesive properties.
- To categorize biological glues based on their chemical motifs (carbohydrate-, protein-, glycoprotein-based).
- To highlight recent advancements in biomaterial design utilizing these natural adhesives for medical applications.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and categorization of naturally occurring biological glues.
- Analysis of chemical structures responsible for adhesive properties.
- Survey of recent developments in biomaterial functionalization and synthesis inspired by natural glues.
Main Results:
- Identification and classification of carbohydrate-, protein-, and glycoprotein-based biological glues.
- Demonstration of nature's diverse adhesive strategies.
- Overview of strategies for conjugating natural adhesive motifs or creating synthetic mimics for medical use.
Conclusions:
- Naturally occurring biological glues represent a rich source for developing advanced biomaterials.
- Understanding the chemical basis of natural adhesion enables the design of functional materials for medicine.
- Biomimetic approaches offer tunable properties for specific medical challenges.
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