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Biofunctional hydrogels based on host–guest interactions

Polymer Journal volume 52, pages 839–859 (2020)Cite this article

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Abstract

Biological systems involve the most complex materials in the world. Mimicking biological systems is not an easy task. Materials researchers are continuing to push themselves to prepare synthetic materials that can replicate biological systems. Hydrogels have attracted great interest from materials researchers for mimicking biological systems due to their biocompatibility. One approach to preparing hydrogels is using host–guest interactions. Host–guest interactions can be achieved by using cyclodextrins (CDs) as host units and suitable guest units. Hydrogels prepared based on host–guest interactions show several functionalities, such as self-healing ability, stimuli responsiveness, the ability to function as soft actuators for use in artificial muscles, and conductive responsiveness. These functions can be attributed to reversible bond formation between the CDs and guest units. Self-healing materials, which mimic the recovery of injured skin, can be achieved if the association constant between the CDs and guests is sufficiently high. Several specific guest units can also show external stimuli responsivity (redox, pH, temperature, and light) when paired with CDs, allowing them to mimic the responsiveness of the human body to external stimuli. Light-responsive hydrogels can be used to prepare soft actuators that can be employed as artificial muscles to mimic the sliding motion of human sarcomeres. Conductive hydrogels will be required to support the function of artificial muscles in the near future. This review summarizes the advancements made in biofunctional hydrogels based on host–guest interactions.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are indebted to past and present students, postdoctoral fellows, and collaborators whose names appear in the list of references. Financial support was received from the ImPACT Program of the Council for Science, Technology, and Innovation (Cabinet Office, Government of Japan), Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B) (No. JP26288062 & JP18H02035) from MEXT of Japan, Scientific Research on Innovative Area (Grant Number JP19H05721) from JSPS of Japan, the JST-Mirai Program (Grant Number JPMJMI18E3), Japan, the Research Grant Program from the Ogasawara Foundation for the Promotion of Science & Engineering, the Iketani Science and Technology Foundation, the Asahi Glass Foundation, and the Murata Science Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Macromolecular Science, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama-cho, Toyonaka, Osaka, 560-0043, Japan

    Garry Sinawang, Motofumi Osaki, Yoshinori Takashima & Hiroyasu Yamaguchi

  2. Project Research Center for Fundamental Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama-cho, Toyonaka, Osaka, 560-0043, Japan

    Garry Sinawang, Motofumi Osaki, Yoshinori Takashima, Hiroyasu Yamaguchi & Akira Harada

  3. Institute for Advanced Co-Creation Studies, Osaka University, 1-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan

    Yoshinori Takashima

  4. The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research, Osaka University, 8-1 Mihogaoka, Ibaraki, Osaka, 567-0047, Japan

    Akira Harada

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  1. Garry Sinawang
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Sinawang, G., Osaki, M., Takashima, Y. et al. Biofunctional hydrogels based on host–guest interactions. Polym J 52, 839–859 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41428-020-0352-7

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