Eggshell membrane-incorporated cell friendly tough hydrogels with ultra-adhesive property

Adhesive and tough hydrogels have received increased attention for their potential biomedical applications. However, traditional hydrogels have limited utility in tissue engineering because they tend to exhibit low biocompatibility, low adhesiveness, and poor mechanical properties. Herein, the use of the eggshell membrane (ESM) for developing tough, cell-friendly, and ultra-adhesive hydrogels is described. The ESM enhances the performance of the hydrogel network in three ways. First, its covalent cross-linking with the polyacrylamide and alginate chains strengthens the hydrogel network. Second, it provides functional groups, such as amine and carboxyl moieties, which are well known for enhancing the surface adhesion of biomaterials, thereby increasing the adhesiveness of the hydrogel. Third, it is a bioactive agent and improves cell adhesion and proliferation on the constructed scaffold. In conclusion, this study proposes the unique design of ESM-incorporated hydrogels with high toughness, cell-friendly, and ultra-adhesive properties for various biomedical engineering applications.