Enzyme responsive polymers cell supports

Within their designed areas of application, however, the versatility of enzyme-responsive polymers is unmatched by any other stimuli-responsive materials. Enzyme-responsive polymers have found applications as cell supports, injectable scaffolds and drug delivery systems and have been integrated with other stimuli-responsive polymers to obtain materials with closely tailored stimuli-responsive characteristics. While research in the development of enzyme-responsive materials (ERMs) is still in its early... 

By nature, ERMs are inherently suitable for applications in the healthcare section. Despite being a young class of materials, some exciting applications have begun to emerge. Here, three applications for enzyme-responsive polymers are highlighted cell supports, injectable scaffolds and drug delivery devices. 

Polymer hydrogels consist of a cross-finked network of hydrophilic polymers with a very large water content (up to 99%) (Wichterle and Lim, 1960).They are structurally similar to the ECM and have therefore frequently been used as ECM mimics (Fedorovich et al., 2007 Shoichet, 2010). Other biological applications include the use as injectable scaffolds, (temporary) cell culture supports and drug delivery matrices (Mano, 2008). For all these applications, the introduction of enzyme-responsive functionalities into the polymer hydrogel is attractive because it would either more closely mimic the ECM (which is itself enzyme responsive) or allow drug delivery in response to the presence of a specific enzyme. 

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