Supramolecular Hydrogelators and Hydrogels: From Soft Matter to Molecular Biomaterials.

ABSTRACT: In this review we intend to provide a relatively comprehensive summary of the work of supramolecular hydrogelators after 2004 and to put emphasis particularly on the applications of supramolecular hydrogels/hydrogelators as molecular biomaterials. After a brief introduction of methods for generating supramolecular hydrogels, we discuss supramolecular hydrogelators on the basis of their categories, such as small organic molecules, coordination complexes, peptides, nucleobases, and saccharides. Following molecular design, we focus on various potential applications of supramolecular hydrogels as molecular biomaterials, classified by their applications in cell cultures, tissue engineering, cell behavior, imaging, and unique applications of hydrogelators. Particularly, we discuss the applicatio

SUBMITTER: Du X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4936198 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature