Mussel‐Inspired Adhesive Hydrogels: Chemistry and Biomedical Applications†

Abstract

Comprehensive SummaryAdhesive hydrogels are an emerging class of hydrogels that combine three‐dimensional hydrated networks with adhesive properties. These properties facilitate intimate tissue‐material contact in diverse biomedical applications, enhancing tissue joining, drug transport, and signal transmission. Inspired by the universal adhesiveness of mussel foot proteins, 3,4‐dihydroxyphenyl‐L‐alanine (DOPA) and its analogs have been extensively exploited for the fabrication of adhesive hydrogels, within which the DOPA moieties can not only serve as cross‐linking mediators but also participate in various intermolecular and surface interactions to mediate wet adhesion. This mini‐review highlights recent achievements in the development of mussel‐inspired adhesive hydrogels, focusing on: (1) elucidating DOPA‐mediated adhesion mechanisms through nanomechanical characterizations, (2) designing injectable adhesive hydrogels toward applications in drug delivery, hemostasis, and wound closure, which includes in situ gelling liquids and shear‐thinning preformed hydrogels, and (3) fabricating tough adhesive hydrogels with enhanced mechanical properties for use in tissue regeneration, biosensing, and bioimaging, with typical examples of nanocomposite and double‐network hydrogels. The challenges and prospects in this rapidly developing field are also discussed.