A Nature-Inspired Versatile Bio-Adhesive.

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Adhesive Technology

Background:

• Hydrogel bio-adhesives face limitations like high swelling and poor underwater adhesion.
• Current bio-adhesives often lack multifunctionality, restricting their clinical applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a multifunctional hydrogel bio-glue with enhanced adhesion and repair capabilities.
• To overcome the limitations of existing hydrogel bio-adhesives for broader clinical use.

Main Methods:

• A spatial multi-level physical-chemical and bio-inspired in-situ bonding strategy was employed.
• Polyglutamic acid (PGA), tyramine hydrochloride (TYR), and tannic acid (TA) were used as precursors with DMTMM as a condensation agent.
• The synergistic effects of introduced TYR and TA on PGA chains were investigated for bonding and functional properties.

Main Results:

• The developed hydrogel bio-glue demonstrated strong adhesion to fresh tissues and wet materials via synergistic physical and chemical bonding.
• The bio-glue exhibited anti-oxidation and hemostasis functions.
• Excellent performance was observed in wound, liver, and cartilage repair.

Conclusions:

• The novel hydrogel bio-glue overcomes limitations of traditional bio-adhesives, offering multifunctionality and strong underwater adhesion.
• The developed bio-glue shows significant potential for clinical applications in tissue adhesion, hemostasis, and repair.
• This research opens new avenues for designing advanced multifunctional hydrogel bio-adhesives.