Mussel-Inspired Hydrogel Applied to Wound Healing: A Review and Future Prospects

The application background of mussel-inspired materials is based on the unique underwater adhesive ability of marine mussels, which has inspired researchers to develop bionic materials with strong adhesion, self-healing ability, biocompatibility, and environmental friendliness. Specifically, 3, 4-di...

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Main Authors: Yanai Chen, Yijia Cao, Pengyu Cui, Shenzhou Lu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Biomimetics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2313-7673/10/4/206
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author Yanai Chen
Yijia Cao
Pengyu Cui
Shenzhou Lu
author_facet Yanai Chen
Yijia Cao
Pengyu Cui
Shenzhou Lu
author_sort Yanai Chen
collection DOAJ
description The application background of mussel-inspired materials is based on the unique underwater adhesive ability of marine mussels, which has inspired researchers to develop bionic materials with strong adhesion, self-healing ability, biocompatibility, and environmental friendliness. Specifically, 3, 4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) in mussel byssus is able to form non-covalent forces on a variety of surfaces, which are critical for the mussel’s underwater adhesion and enable the mussel-inspired material to dissipate energy and repair itself under external forces. Mussel-inspired hydrogels are ideal medical adhesive materials due to their unique physical and chemical properties, such as excellent tissue adhesion, hemostasis and bacteriostasis, biosafety, and plasticity. This paper reviewed chitosan, cellulose, hyaluronic acid, gelatin, alginate, and other biomedical materials and discussed the advanced functions of mussel-inspired hydrogels as wound dressings, including antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties, adhesion and hemostasis, material transport, self-healing, stimulating response, and so on. At the same time, the technical challenges and limitations of the biomimetic mussel hydrogel in biomedical applications were further discussed, and its potential solutions and future research developments in the field of biomedicine were highlighted.
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spelling doaj-art-c1fe2205755e4abb893af2f72264b3bf2025-08-20T02:17:25ZengMDPI AGBiomimetics2313-76732025-03-0110420610.3390/biomimetics10040206Mussel-Inspired Hydrogel Applied to Wound Healing: A Review and Future ProspectsYanai Chen0Yijia Cao1Pengyu Cui2Shenzhou Lu3National Engineering Laboratory for Modern Silk, College of Textile and Clothing Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, ChinaNational Engineering Laboratory for Modern Silk, College of Textile and Clothing Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, ChinaNational Engineering Laboratory for Modern Silk, College of Textile and Clothing Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, ChinaNational Engineering Laboratory for Modern Silk, College of Textile and Clothing Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, ChinaThe application background of mussel-inspired materials is based on the unique underwater adhesive ability of marine mussels, which has inspired researchers to develop bionic materials with strong adhesion, self-healing ability, biocompatibility, and environmental friendliness. Specifically, 3, 4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) in mussel byssus is able to form non-covalent forces on a variety of surfaces, which are critical for the mussel’s underwater adhesion and enable the mussel-inspired material to dissipate energy and repair itself under external forces. Mussel-inspired hydrogels are ideal medical adhesive materials due to their unique physical and chemical properties, such as excellent tissue adhesion, hemostasis and bacteriostasis, biosafety, and plasticity. This paper reviewed chitosan, cellulose, hyaluronic acid, gelatin, alginate, and other biomedical materials and discussed the advanced functions of mussel-inspired hydrogels as wound dressings, including antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties, adhesion and hemostasis, material transport, self-healing, stimulating response, and so on. At the same time, the technical challenges and limitations of the biomimetic mussel hydrogel in biomedical applications were further discussed, and its potential solutions and future research developments in the field of biomedicine were highlighted.https://www.mdpi.com/2313-7673/10/4/206mussel-inspiredhydrogelwound healing
spellingShingle Yanai Chen
Yijia Cao
Pengyu Cui
Shenzhou Lu
Mussel-Inspired Hydrogel Applied to Wound Healing: A Review and Future Prospects
Biomimetics
mussel-inspired
hydrogel
wound healing
title Mussel-Inspired Hydrogel Applied to Wound Healing: A Review and Future Prospects
title_full Mussel-Inspired Hydrogel Applied to Wound Healing: A Review and Future Prospects
title_fullStr Mussel-Inspired Hydrogel Applied to Wound Healing: A Review and Future Prospects
title_full_unstemmed Mussel-Inspired Hydrogel Applied to Wound Healing: A Review and Future Prospects
title_short Mussel-Inspired Hydrogel Applied to Wound Healing: A Review and Future Prospects
title_sort mussel inspired hydrogel applied to wound healing a review and future prospects
topic mussel-inspired
hydrogel
wound healing
url https://www.mdpi.com/2313-7673/10/4/206
work_keys_str_mv AT yanaichen musselinspiredhydrogelappliedtowoundhealingareviewandfutureprospects
AT yijiacao musselinspiredhydrogelappliedtowoundhealingareviewandfutureprospects
AT pengyucui musselinspiredhydrogelappliedtowoundhealingareviewandfutureprospects
AT shenzhoulu musselinspiredhydrogelappliedtowoundhealingareviewandfutureprospects