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Cartilage-like protein hydrogels engineered via entanglement

Author

Listed:
  • Linglan Fu

    (The University of British Columbia)

  • Lan Li

    (Drum Tower Hospital affiliated to Medical School of Nanjing University)

  • Qingyuan Bian

    (The University of British Columbia)

  • Bin Xue

    (Nanjing University)

  • Jing Jin

    (Drum Tower Hospital affiliated to Medical School of Nanjing University)

  • Jiayu Li

    (The University of British Columbia)

  • Yi Cao

    (Nanjing University)

  • Qing Jiang

    (Drum Tower Hospital affiliated to Medical School of Nanjing University)

  • Hongbin Li

    (The University of British Columbia)

Abstract

Load-bearing tissues, such as muscle and cartilage, exhibit high elasticity, high toughness and fast recovery, but have different stiffness (with cartilage being significantly stiffer than muscle)1–8. Muscle achieves its toughness through finely controlled forced domain unfolding–refolding in the muscle protein titin, whereas articular cartilage achieves its high stiffness and toughness through an entangled network comprising collagen and proteoglycans. Advancements in protein mechanics and engineering have made it possible to engineer titin-mimetic elastomeric proteins and soft protein biomaterials thereof to mimic the passive elasticity of muscle9–11. However, it is more challenging to engineer highly stiff and tough protein biomaterials to mimic stiff tissues such as cartilage, or develop stiff synthetic matrices for cartilage stem and progenitor cell differentiation12. Here we report the use of chain entanglements to significantly stiffen protein-based hydrogels without compromising their toughness. By introducing chain entanglements13 into the hydrogel network made of folded elastomeric proteins, we are able to engineer highly stiff and tough protein hydrogels, which seamlessly combine mutually incompatible mechanical properties, including high stiffness, high toughness, fast recovery and ultrahigh compressive strength, effectively converting soft protein biomaterials into stiff and tough materials exhibiting mechanical properties close to those of cartilage. Our study provides a general route towards engineering protein-based, stiff and tough biomaterials, which will find applications in biomedical engineering, such as osteochondral defect repair, and material sciences and engineering.

Suggested Citation

  • Linglan Fu & Lan Li & Qingyuan Bian & Bin Xue & Jing Jin & Jiayu Li & Yi Cao & Qing Jiang & Hongbin Li, 2023. "Cartilage-like protein hydrogels engineered via entanglement," Nature, Nature, vol. 618(7966), pages 740-747, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:618:y:2023:i:7966:d:10.1038_s41586-023-06037-0
    DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06037-0
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    Cited by:

    1. Hangchao Wang & Yali Yang & Chuan Gao & Tao Chen & Jin Song & Yuxuan Zuo & Qiu Fang & Tonghuan Yang & Wukun Xiao & Kun Zhang & Xuefeng Wang & Dingguo Xia, 2024. "An entanglement association polymer electrolyte for Li-metal batteries," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.
    2. Matt D. G. Hughes & Sophie Cussons & Benjamin S. Hanson & Kalila R. Cook & Tímea Feller & Najet Mahmoudi & Daniel L. Baker & Robert Ariëns & David A. Head & David J. Brockwell & Lorna Dougan, 2023. "Building block aspect ratio controls assembly, architecture, and mechanics of synthetic and natural protein networks," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    3. Woojin Choi & Utkarsh Mangal & Jae-Hun Yu & Jeong-Hyun Ryu & Ji‑Yeong Kim & Taesuk Jun & Yoojin Lee & Heesu Cho & Moonhyun Choi & Milae Lee & Du Yeol Ryu & Sang-Young Lee & Se Yong Jung & Jae-Kook Cha, 2024. "Viscoelastic and antimicrobial dental care bioplastic with recyclable life cycle," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-14, December.

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