Mussel-inspired Polymer Research Articles

Tumor microenvironment activated mussel-inspired hollow mesoporous nanotheranostic for enhanced synergistic photodynamic/chemodynamic therapy

Anti-tumor therapies reliant on reactive oxygen species (ROS) as primary therapeutic agents face challenges due to a limited oxygen substrate. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is particularly hindered by inherent hypoxia, while chemodynamic therapy (CDT) encounters obstacles from insufficient endogenous hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) levels. In this study, we engineered biodegradable tumor microenvironment (TME)-activated hollow mesoporous MnO2-based nanotheranostic agents, designated as HAMnO2A. This construct entails loading artemisinin (ART) into the cavity and surface modification with a mussel-inspired polymer ligand, namely hyaluronic acid-linked poly(ethylene glycol)-diethylenetriamine-conjugated (3,4-dihydroxyphenyl) acetic acid, and the photosensitizer Chlorin e6 (mPEG-HA-Dien-(Dhpa/Ce6)), facilitating dual-modal imaging-guided PDT/CDT synergistic therapy. In vitro experimentation revealed that HAMnO2A exhibited ideal physiological stability and enhanced cellular uptake capability via CD44-mediated endocytosis. Additionally, it was demonstrated that accelerated endo-lysosomal escape through the pH-dependent protonation of Dien. Within the acidic and highly glutathione (GSH)-rich TME, the active component of HAMnO2A, MnO2, underwent decomposition, liberating oxygen and releasing both Mn2+ and ART. This process alleviates hypoxia within the tumor region and initiates a Fenton-like reaction through the combination of ART and Mn2+, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of PDT and CDT by generating increased singlet oxygen (1O2) and hydroxyl radicals (•OH). Moreover, the presence of Mn2+ ions enabled the activation of T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. In vivo findings further validated that HAMnO2A displayed meaningful tumor-targeting capabilities, prolonged circulation time in the bloodstream, and outstanding efficacy in restraining tumor growth while inducing minimal damage to normal tissues. Hence, this nanoplatform serves as an efficient all-in-one solution by facilitating the integration of multiple functions, ultimately enhancing the effectiveness of tumor theranostics.

Mussel-inspired polymer with catechol and cationic Lys functionalities for dentin wet bonding.

Mussels can form tough and long-lasting adhesions to organic and inorganic surfaces in saline and impactive severe aquatic environments. Similar to mussel adhesion, dentin bonding occurs in a wet environment. However, unlike mussels, it is difficult to achieve long-lasting bonds with dentin. Moreover, water is considered a major hindrance in dentin bonding. Inspired by the synergistic effect of cationic lysine (Lys) and catechol on the elimination of the hydration layer during mussel adhesion, a catechol- and Lys-functionalized polymerizable polymer (catechol-Lys-methacrylate [CLM]) was synthesized to replicate the complex synergy between amino acids and catechol. The bond-promoting potential of 5​mg/mL CLM primer was confirmed using an in vitro wet dentin-bonding model, which was characterized by an improvement in bond strength and durability. CLM can adhere to wet demineralized dentin, with Lys acting as a molecular vanguard to expel water. Subsequently, a myriad of interfacial interactions can be obtained by introducing the catechol group into the interface. Additionally, tough and long-lasting adhesion, similar to that formed by mussels, can be achieved by grafting CLM onto type I collagen via covalent bonds, hydrogen bonds, Van der Waals interactions, and cation-π interactions, which can enhance the mechanical and chemical stability of collagen, increase the enzymatic resistance of collagen, and provide additional physical/chemical adhesion to dentin bonds. Catechol- and cationic Lys-functionalized polymers can improve the stability of the resin-dentin interface under wet conditions.

Forced Gradient Copolymer for Rational Design of Mussel-Inspired Adhesives and Dispersants.

In recent years, there has been considerable research into functional materials inspired by living things. Much attention has been paid to the development of adhesive materials that mimic the adhesive proteins secreted by a mussel's foot. These mussel-inspired materials have superior adhesiveness to various adherents owing to the non-covalent interactions of their polyphenolic moieties, e.g., hydrogen bonding, electrostatic interactions, and even hydrophobic interactions. Various factors significantly affect the adhesiveness of mussel-inspired polymers, such as the molecular weight, cross-linking density, and composition ratio of the components, as well as the chemical structure of the polyphenolic adhesive moieties, such as l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (l-Dopa). However, the contributions of the position and distribution of the adhesive moiety in mussel-inspired polymers are often underestimated. In the present study, we prepared a series of mussel-inspired alkyl methacrylate copolymers by controlling the position and distribution of the adhesive moiety, which are known as "forced gradient copolymers". We used a newly designed gallic-acid-bearing methacrylate (GMA) as the polyphenolic adhesive moiety and copolymerized it with 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate (EHMA). The resulting forced gradient adhesive copolymer of GMA and EHMA (poly(GMA-co-EHMA), Poly1) was subjected to adhesion and dispersion tests with an aluminum substrate and a BaTiO3 nanoparticle in organic solvents, respectively. In particular, this study aims to clarify how the monomer position and distribution of the adhesive moiety in the mussel-inspired polymer affect its adhesion and dispersion behavior on a flat metal oxide surface and spherical inorganic oxide surfaces of several tens of nanometers in diameter, respectively. Here, forced gradient copolymer Poly1 consisted of a homopolymer moiety of EHMA (Poly3) and a random copolymer moiety of EHMA and GMA (Poly4). The composition ratio of GMA and the molecular weight were kept constant among the Poly1 series. Simultaneous control of the molecular lengths of Poly3 and Poly4 allowed us to discuss the effects on the distribution of GMA in Poly1. Poly1 exhibited apparent distribution dependency with regard to the adhesiveness and the dispersibility of BaTiO3. Poly1 showed the highest adhesion strength when the composition ratio of GMA was approximately 9 mol% in the portion of the Poly4 segment. In contrast, the block copolymer consisting of the Poly3 segment and Poly4 segment with only adhesive moiety 1 showed the lowest viscosity for dispersion of BaTiO3 nanoparticles. These results indicate that copolymers with mussel-inspired adhesive motifs require the proper design of the monomer position and distribution in Poly1 according to the shape and characteristics of the adherend to maximize their functionality. This research will facilitate the rational design of bio-inspired adhesive materials derived from plants that outperform natural materials, and it will eventually contribute to a sustainable circular economy.

Facile mussel-inspired polymerization to facilitate biomimetic in situ homogeneous mineralization for bone regeneration

As a mussel-inspired polymer, polydopamine (PDA) coating can be used as a simple and universal way to form nano-hydroxyapatite (nHAP) crystals on a variety of substrates. Therefore, PDA is widely used in the preparation of bone repair materials. However, its uneven distribution and easy degradation under strongly alkaline conditions limit its application. Therefore, based on the principle of in situ regeneration, this study combined the freeze-drying technology with the diffusion method of ammonium carbonate to bionics construct porous micro-nano composite scaffolds. Chitosan (CS) and dopamine hydrochloride (DA) were used as the chief components to form a multilayer layered scaffold structure. PDA and nHAP grow in situ on the surface of the freeze-dried scaffolds after ammonium carbonate gas diffusion treatment and Tris buffer immersion. The mild synthesis method effectively avoided the decomposition of PDA, and the gas diffusion method promoted the uniform distribution of PDA. The effect of PDA on nHAP formation was studied by adjusting the amount of DA. The cross-linking reaction between PDA and CS was verified by FTIR and XPS. Surface morphology was observed by SEM. The formation of nHAP was confirmed by XRD. The scaffolds had good porosity, degradation, water absorption, thermal stability and biomimetic mineralization properties. Cell experiments showed that the scaffolds had good biocompatibility and had no toxicity to cells. The construction of bone defect animal model further verified that the scaffolds promoted bone regeneration in the defect site of the body. This study provided a new idea and method for the preparation of bone repair scaffolds.

Laser synthesized nanodiamonds with hyper-branched polyglycerol and polydopamine for combined imaging and photothermal treatment

Multimodal nanomaterials have attracted much attention of scientists, in particular those working in the area of medicine. Thanks to their properties, they can be applied in therapy as well as in diagnostics permitting simultaneous treatment and imaging of various cancer diseases. Photothermal therapy (PTT) is one of the approaches in the cancer therapy based on the use of light-to-heat converting materials. The nanophotothermal agents used in PTT may represent a wide range of substances, from metals to organic compounds. Polydopamine (PDA) is a mussel-inspired polymer that can coat almost every surface, it is highly biocompatible, biodegradable and shows extraordinary photothermal properties. In this study, we used laser synthesized nanodiamonds (NDs) as fluorescent cores to obtain a combined platform for fluorescent imaging and PTT. Before PDA coating, NDs were functionalized with hyper-branched polyglycerol (hPG) to protect against their aggregation and improve their stabilization in aqueous solutions. The nanoparticles were characterized by determination of their size distribution, stability, functionalization as well as fluorescent and photothermal properties. The anticancer efficacy of the imaging-guided PTT on glioblastoma cells was also evaluated in vitro. The obtained results show that PDA coated laser synthesized NDs can be promising theranostic agents combining the fluorescent imaging modality of nanodiamonds with photothermal properties of polydopamine.

Point-of-care diagnostics for therapeutic monitoring of levofloxacin in human plasma utilizing electrochemical sensor mussel-inspired molecularly imprinted copolymer

• Fabrication of MIP electrochemical sensor to personalize the Levofloxacin dose. • Bio-inspired molecularly imprinted copolymer was synthesized utilizing Levodopa as a monomer. • Molecularly imprinted copolymer was electropolymerized on Au-NPs decorated pencil graphite electrode as a substrate. • The sensor was employed successfully for levofloxacin detection in spiked human plasma. Therapeutic drug monitoring is mandatory for drugs with narrow therapeutic index and is an integral part of the patient care standards, where drug concentration is measured in biological fluids to “ personalize ” patient’s dosage. In this work a disposable electrochemical sensor has been developed for Levofloxacin (LEV) determination in human plasma. The selected substrate was pencil graphite electrode (PGE). To enhance the sensor performance, the PGE has been modified with Au-NPs via electrochemical deposition. To achieve high selectivity towards levofloxacin, the PGE/Au-NPs electrode has been further modified with molecularly imprinted copolymer; poly( l -dopa)/poly( o -phenylenediamine), by anodic electropolymerization of the corresponding monomers. The Levodopa not only acts as a functional monomer but moreover, a substrate for mussel-inspired polymer. The sensor surface has been characterized using both scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to investigate the morphology and elemental composition of the modified PGE, respectively. To optimize the sensor performance, experimental variables were studied and tuned to improve the outcomes. The sensor has a linear response in two concentration windows (1.0 × 10 −6 –1.0 × 10 −4 mol/L) and (1.0 × 10 −4 –1.0 × 10 −2 mol/L) Levofloxacin, with a limit of detection of 4.62 × 10 −7 mol/L. Selectivity, repeatability, and low manufacturing cost are some benefits of the proposed sensor. The sensor was successfully used to determine Levofloxacin in Tavanic® tablets and spiked plasma samples.

Robust biomimetic Ti3C2Tx nanocomposite films enhanced by mussel-inspired polymer for highly efficient electromagnetic shielding and thermal camouflage

Ti3C2Tx has shown significant applications in many fields, such as electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding and thermal camouflage. Yet, the preparation of high strength and functional Ti3C2Tx film is still challenging due to its weak interlayer interactions. Herein, we carefully design and synthesize a series of water-soluble polyacrylate polymers with different catechol group contents inspired by mussel byssus. Then, we assemble them with Ti3C2Tx by facile colloidal self-assembly approach, finally achieving robust and multifunctional Ti3C2Tx nanocomposite films through a nacre-mimetic construction strategy. These polymers combined with the Ti3C2Tx through hydrogen and coordination bonds, thus effectively enhancing the interfacial interactions of the nacre-mimetic films, resulting in the strength and toughness being enhanced to 4.5 and 4.4 times that of pure Ti3C2Tx film, respectively. Furthermore, the conductivities and EMI shielding efficiencies can be significantly improved by increasing the content of catechol groups in the polymers. Notably, we report for the first time that the ultrathin Ti3C2Tx nanocomposite films possess very low infrared emissivity (<0.2) and excellent infrared stealth performance, which can camouflage a high temperature surface of 100 °C to 33.8 °C. This biomimetic material design idea undoubtedly opens up a new path for constructing robust and multifunctional composite materials.

Facile strategy of mussel-inspired polymer as a high-performance dry/wet adhesive

Mussel-inspired polymers have attracted interest due to their strong adhesion to various substrates; however, the existing synthetic methods are usually complicated and require the utilization of organic solvents. In this work, a novel mussel-inspired polyamide amine-dihydrocaffeic acid (PPCA) polymeric adhesive was designed by grafting a catechol-containing dihydrocaffeic acid (DHCA) monomer to the polyamide amine (PPC) backbone as an economic commercial agent. Due to interactions between catechol groups and various substrate surfaces, PPCA can be used as a general-purpose adhesive for various substrates and exhibited excellent adhesion to low-energy hydrophobic surfaces (e.g., an adhesive strength of 0.35 ± 0.02 MPa for PTFE). No tedious solidification processes were required to reduce the energy and time consumption of the process while exhibiting long-term adhesion. Epichlorohydrin (EPI) was integrated into the polymer system to generate self-crosslinking to improve the cohesive strength, which further improved its adhesive performance. This adhesive also exhibited excellent wet adhesion because the catechol groups induced synergistic electrostatic and hydrogen-bonding interactions between azetidinium groups and phenols. This facile strategy provides a clean and general method to prepare strong adhesives for structural engineering applications under harsh conditions.

Well-Defined Nanostructured Biointerfaces: Strengthened Cellular Interaction for Circulating Tumor Cells Isolation.

The topographic features at the cell-material biointerface are critical for cellular sensing of the extracellular environment (ECM) and have gradually been recognized as key factors that regulate cell adhesion behavior. Herein, a well-defined nanostructured biointerface is fabricated via a new generation of mussel-inspired polymer coating to mimic the native ECM structures. Upon the bioinert background presence and biospecific ligands conjugation, the affinity of cancer cells to the resulting biofunctional surfaces, which integrate topographic features and biochemical cues, is greatly strengthened. Both the conjugated bioligand density, filopodia formation, and focal adhesion expression are significantly enhanced by the surficial nano-features with an optimized size-scale. Thus, this nanostructured biointerface exhibits high capture efficiency for circulating tumor cells (CTCs) with high sensitivity, high biospecificity, and high purity. Benefiting from the unique bioligands conjugation chemistry herein, the captured cancer cells can be responsively detached from the biointerfaces without damage for downstream analysis. The present biofunctional nanostructured interfaces offer a good solution to address current challenges to efficiently isolate rare CTCs from blood samples for earlier cancer diagnosis.

Photo-triggered CO2 release from mussel-inspired polymers

• Solar-driven CO 2 desorption in mussel-inspired polymer is presented. • CO 2 absorption rate and desorption rate increase with dopamine content. • Light absorbability and CO 2 desorption rate are improved by forming nanoparticles. • Higher average CO 2 regeneration efficiency of 93.4% is shown. Using solar energy instead of traditional steam energy could be a promising strategy for saving the CO 2 capture energy consumption. Here we report solar triggered efficient CO 2 release from a mussel-inspired CO 2 capture solvent. Crosslinking polyethyleneimine and polydopamine by the self-polymerization was applied to capture CO 2 and efficiently release CO 2 by photoirradiation. CO 2 absorption rate was improved by increasing the dopamine content in the crosslinked polymer. Furthermore, CO 2 desorption rate increased with a moderate increase in the dopamine content. Polymer nanoparticles were formed by tailoring the concentration of aqueous ammonia and dopamine, which can be used to enhance the light absorbability and thus the CO 2 desorption rate. A higher average CO 2 regeneration efficiency of 93.4% can be reached via five absorption–desorption cycles, indicating that it is a promising strategy to greatly save the CO 2 capture energy consumption.

Co-evolving with Nature: The Recent Trends on the Mussel-inspired Polymers in Medical Adhesion

The rise in the number of daily surgical procedures and the disadvantages posed by the present surgical closure techniques (such as secondary tissue damage and microbial infection) magnifies the immediate need for metamorphosing the current bioadhesives perceiving to tether wounds efficiently. To this context, the emerging scope of biomimetics has allowed mussel inspired adhesives rendering efficient bonding characteristics on a variety of substrates. The mussel adhesion proteins and its derivatives, such as 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine and dopamine, are therefore widely being studied to modify the biopolymers, attempting to enhance the adhesive attributes. The polarity of the catechol groups in the protein conformation aids in the development of both noncovalent interactions (electrostatic interaction, hydrogen bonding, metal/ligand coordination bond, π-π/cation-π interactions) and covalent interactions (crosslinking), thereby promoting superior tissue adhesion. This narrative is an attempt to tether the recent developments in the mussel-inspired polymer adhesives, connecting the footprints of how these materials evolved with its current state of the art.

Decoration of electrical conductive polyurethane-polyaniline/polyvinyl alcohol matrixes with mussel-inspired polydopamine for bone tissue engineering.

Electrospinning is a versatile technology for the fabrication of nanofibrous matrixes to regenerate defects. This study aims to develop a functionalized and electroconductive polymeric matrix to improve rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation. Herein, the influence of the chemical composition of the substrate on homogeneous modification of the surface with mussel-inspired polydopamine (PDA) is focused. Accordingly, the deposition of PDA on the surface was proved by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Morphologies of the scaffolds demonstrated homogeneous decoration of the polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/polyurethane (PU)-polyaniline (PANI) matrixes with PDA, while a lower density of mussel-inspired polymer was observed in bare PU-PANI constructs. Although uniform and dense precipitation of PDA reduced conductivity of scaffolds 1.2 times compared with the samples with a low density of the PDA, 1.1 and 1.2 times enhancement in tensile strength and Young's modulus, respectively, were the strength of the applied process, especially in bone tissue engineering area. Contact angle measurements demonstrated about two times reduction in measured values, which shows improvement in hydrophilicity of PDA-modified PVA/PU-PANI fibers compared with PDA-coated PU-PANI ones. Swelling ratio and mass loss ratio calculations revealed enhancement in measured values as a function of homogeneous and dense coating, which arise from hydrophilicity of the polymeric substrate. The bioactivity test indicated that a dense layer of PDA strongly supports formations of hydroxyapatite-like crystals. Moreover, homogeneous decoration of conductive matrixes with PDA showed suitable cell viability, adhesion, and spreading while cell-scaffolds interactions improved under electrical stimulation. Higher expression of alkaline phosphatase and secretion of Collagen I under the electrical field proved the applicability of modified electroconductive scaffolds for further preclinical and clinical studies to introduce as a reconstructive bone substitute.

Mussel-inspired polymer glue sticks to wet surfaces

For decades, scientists have tried to make surgical glues modeled after the strong adhesive proteins that mussels use to cling to underwater surfaces. But making a practical, biocompatible glue that can be applied in a range of wet conditions within the body has been tricky. Now, researchers report an adhesive that sticks to wet surfaces in minutes and, unlike previous glues, works over a wide range of salinities and pH levels (ACS Nano 2020, DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c02396). Mussels secrete a mix of oppositely charged proteins that interact to create a coacervate, a suspension of insoluble protein droplets in water. This dense coacervate spreads and sticks to surfaces, and the proteins cross-link to strengthen the adhesive. Polymer adhesives that mimic this mechanism rely on “very precise conditions of charge, salt, and solution pH,” says Jonathan J. Wilker of Purdue University, who was not involved in the work. Abraham Joy and Ali Dhinojwala

A Facile Preparation of Mussel-Inspired Poly(dopamine phosphonate-co-PEGMA)s via a One-Pot Multicomponent Polymerization System.

Mussel-inspired polymers attract much research interest due to their potential as effective adhesives. In this work, a new kind of mussel-inspired polymer, poly(dopamine phosphonate-co-PEGMA), is prepared via a one-pot multicomponent polymerization system. The multicomponent polymerization system refers to a combination of multicomponent Kabachnik-Fields (KF) reaction and reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization system. Reactants are converted to dopamine phosphonate monomers in situ through the KF reaction and polymerized simultaneously along with poly(ethylene glycol methyl ether) methacrylate (PEGMA) co-monomers by the RAFT process in a one-pot operation. Target polymers with dopamine phosphonate as side groups and well-defined polymer structures are thus facilely and successfully prepared. Afterwards, a series of polymers with various ratios of dopamine phosphonates as well as the crosslinked polymer analogues are prepared. Benefiting from the dopamine phosphonate side groups, aqueous solutions of those polymers show potential as effective adhesives in both dry and wet conditions, and their adhesive strengths are highly related to ratios of dopamine phosphonates in the polymers. Those polymers are non-cytotoxic and show strong bonding affinities on various substrates including metals, polymers, and bovine bones, suggesting their potential as environmentally friendly general adhesives in broad areas.

Current Advances in the Utilization of Polydopamine Nanostructures in Biomedical Therapy.

Since the first time mussel-inspired polymer polydopamine (PDA) was discovered, it has gained enormous attention from numerous scientists, especially those working in the field of drug delivery and bacterial and tumor treatment, due to its distinctive properties, such as surface chemistry, biocompatibility, capability to adhere to any surface, and excellent photothermal conversion. Studies using PDA in various types of structures for therapeutic purposes have been carried out extensively in recent years. Considering the rapid development in the area, this review aims to cover and highlight the latest achievements (from 2016 to present) with respect to PDA-based materials for therapeutic purposes. A description of the diverse structures of PDA and its formation strategy, including colloidal particles, hollow structures, and coating films, are discussed. In addition, the main focus of this review is on the therapeutic applications of these PDA nanostructures.

Mussel-inspired polymer: A photocurable and degradable polymer network for adhesives

Mussel-inspired polymer has long been desired for the next generation high adhesion strength bioadhesives. However, the currently synthetic method of mussel-inspired polymer was based on the conventional thermal polymerization. A large majority of thermal polymerizations need solvents, these solvents present risk of environment pollution. Different from the existing methods, here we introduce a facile route for the fabrication of mussel-inspired adhesives via UV polymerization. Meanwhile, polycaprolactone (PCL) was incorporated to enhance biocompatibility and biodegradability of adhesives. The investigated mussel-inspired adhesives (poly (L-DMA-GPCL-MA)) were synthesized with 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl-l-alanine acrylamide (L-DMA) and glycerol-polycaprolactone acrylate (GPCL-MA) under UV exposure. We systematically evaluated the effect of L-DMA and GPCL-MA on the UV polymerization kinetics, mechanical properties, thermal stability, adhesion and degradable properties of resulting adhesives. Our findings reveal that poly (L-DMA-GPCL-MA) shows excellent adhesive behaviors, the maximum adhesion of polymer on steel substrate was 3.2 ± 0.38 MPa, More importantly, it is able to stick to the low-energy surface substrates including Polypropylene (PP) and Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). Furthermore, poly (L-DMA-GPCL-MA) shows faster degradation, the polymer lost around 40% of their initial weight after 48 day immersing into PBS (0.01 M, pH = 7.3). Based on these properties, poly (L-DMA-GPCL-MA) shows promise as a potential bio-inspired degradable adhesive.

Surface-Independent and Oriented Immobilization of Antibody via One-Step Polydopamine/Protein G Coating: Application to Influenza Virus Immunoassay.

For the construction of high-performance biosensor, it is important to interface bioreceptors with the sensor surface densely and in the optimal orientation. Herein, a simple surface modification method that can optimally immobilize antibodies onto various kinds of surfaces is reported. For the surface modification, a mixture of polydopamine (PDA) and protein G was employed. PDA is a representative mussel-inspired polymer, and protein G is an immunoglobulin-binding protein that enables an antibody to have an optimal orientation. The surface characteristics of PDA/Protein G mixture-coated substrates are analyzed and the PDA/protein G ratio is optimized to maximize the antibody binding efficiency. Moreover, the antibody-immobilized substrates are applied to the detection of influenza viruses with the naked eye, providing a detection limit of 2.9 × 103 pfu mL-1 . Importantly, the several substrates (glass, SiO2 , Si, Al2 O3 , polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene, polypropylene, and paper) can be modified by simple incubation with the mixture of PDA/protein G, and then the anti-influenza A H1N1 antibodies can be immobilized on the substrates successfully. Regardless of the substrate, the influenza viruses are detectable after the sandwich immunoreaction and silver enhancement procedure. It is anticipated that the developed PDA/protein G coating method will extend the range of applicable materials for biosensing.

Enhanced Adhesion of Fish Ovarian Germline Stem Cells on Solid Surfaces by Mussel-Inspired Polymer Coating.

Development of advanced cell culture methods has gained increasing attention because it allows for efficient genetic engineering and precise regulation of animal reproduction on a cellular basis. Numerous studies have attempted to develop an advanced cell culture method. Previous studies have altered cell culture media and pretreated culture plates with functional molecules. Among them, a mussel-inspired polymer coating has been extensively utilized owing to its wide applicability. For instance, adhesion of human embryonic stem cells and neuronal cells on solid surfaces has been improved. Despite the excellent capability of the mussel-inspired polymer coating, most studies have primarily focused on mammalian cells. However, the efficacy of these coatings on the adhesion of other cell lines is yet unclear. This study aimed to assess the potential of the mussel-inspired polymer coating in the regulation of the adhesion of fish ovarian germline stem cells on solid surfaces. Solid surfaces were coated by polydopamine and poly-L-lysine, and the effect of the coatings on cellular behaviors was investigated.

Morphological Evolution of Gold Nanoparticles into Nanodendrites Using Catechol-Grafted Polymer Templates.

Morphology, dimension, size, and surface chemistry of gold nanoparticles are critically important in determining their optical, catalytic, and photothermal properties. Although many techniques have been developed to synthesize various gold nanostructures, complicated and multistep procedures are required to generate three-dimensional, dendritic gold nanostructures. Here, we present a simple method to synthesize highly branched gold nanodendrites through the well-controlled reduction of gold ions complexed with a catechol-grafted polymer. Dextran grafted with catechols guides the morphological evolution as a polymeric ligand to generate dendritic gold structures through the interconnection of the spherical gold nanoparticles. The reduction kinetics, which is critical for morphological changes, is controllable using dimethylacetamide, which can decrease the metal–ligand dissociation and gold ion diffusivity. This study suggests that mussel-inspired polymer chemistry provides a simple one-pot synthetic route to colloidal gold nanodendrites that are potentially applicable to biosensing and catalysis.

Conjugated Oligomers as Fluorescence Marker for the Determination of the Self-Healing Efficiency in Mussel-Inspired Polymers

Within the current study, a novel approach for the detailed determination of the scratch healing efficiency in mussel-inspired polymer films is presented. For this purpose, a sensor molecule was in...