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Anisotropic Protein Organofibers Encoded With Extraordinary Mechanical Behavior for Cellular Mechanobiology Applications |
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| Authors: | Dr Chao Ma Bo Li Dr Baiqi Shao Dr Baiheng Wu Prof Dong Chen Dr Juanjuan Su Prof Hongjie Zhang Prof Kai Liu |
| Institution: | 1. Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 China
State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, 130022 China School of Engineering and Applied Sciences & Department of Physics, Harvard University, 29 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138 USA;2. State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, 130022 China;3. Institute of Process Equipment, College of Energy Engineering and State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027 China;4. Genetics and Aging Research Unit, McCance Center for Brain Health, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA;5. Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 China State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, 130022 China;6. Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 China |
| Abstract: | Hydrogels enable a variety of applications due to their dynamic networks, structural flexibility, and tailorable functionality. However, their mechanical performances are limited, specifically in the context of cellular mechanobiology. It is also difficult to fabricate robust gel networks with a long-term durability. Thus, a new generation of soft materials showing outstanding mechanical behavior for mechanobiology applications is highly desirable. We combined synthetic biology and supramolecular assembly to prepare elastin-like protein (ELP) organogel fibers with extraordinary mechanical properties. The mechanical performance and stability of the assembled anisotropic proteins are superior to other organo-/hydrogel systems. Bone-derived mesenchymal cells were introduced into the organofiber system for stem-cell lineage differentiation. This approach demonstrates the feasibility of mechanically strong and anisotropic organonetworks for mechanobiology applications and holds great potential for tissue-regeneration translations. |
| Keywords: | anisotropic assembly mechanobiology protein fibers synthetic biology |