Enhancing Biopolymer Hydrogel Functionality through Interpenetrating Networks

Abhishek P. Dhand,1 Jonathan H. Galarraga,1 and Jason A. Burdick1,2,*@

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Abstract

Traditional hydrogels are strong candidates for biomedical applications but suffer from drawbacks such as weak mechanics, static properties, and an inability to fully replicate aspects of the cellular microenvironment. These challenges can be addressed through the incorporation of second networks to form interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) hydrogels. The objective of this review is to establish clear trends on the enhanced functionality achieved by incorporating secondary networks into traditional, biopolymer-based hydrogels. These include mechanical reinforcement, ‘smart’ systems that respond to external stimuli, and the ability to tune cell–material interactions. Through attention to network structure and chemistry, IPN hydrogels may advance to meet challenging criteria for a wide range of biomedical fields.

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Addressing the Need for Enhanced Properties in Biopolymer Hydrogels

Hydrogels (see Glossary) are water-swollen polymer networks that have demonstrated great utility in biomedical applications due to their tunable properties and ability to recapitulate aspects of native tissues. In addition to synthetic polymers for hydrogel formation, biopolymers derived from tissues [e.g., hyaluronic acid (HA), chondroitin sulfate, collagen, gelatin] or from natural materials (e.g., chitosan, alginate, cellulose) have gained attention in hydrogel design. Biopolymers are linked together to form hydrogels, either by leveraging their native intermolecular interactions or through chemical modifications that permit crosslinking. An advantage to using biopolymers for hydrogel formation is that many biopolymers exhibit inherent properties such as bioactivity, degradability, and biocompatibility. For example, HA is a non-sulfated glycosaminoglycan that exhibits unique viscoelastic behavior and plays an important role in regulating cell adhesion and tissue morphogenesis through specific chemical receptors.

Glossary

Suresh Ahuja Thank you