title: Hybrid multicomponent hydrogels for tissue engineering.
abstract: Artificial ECMs that not only closely mimic the hybrid nature of the natural ECM but also provide tunable material properties and enhanced biological functions are attractive candidates for tissue engineering applications. This review summarizes recent advances in developing multicomponent hybrid hydrogels by integrating modular and heterogeneous building blocks into well-defined, multifunctional hydrogel composites. The individual building blocks can be chemically, morphologically, and functionally diverse, and the hybridization can occur at molecular level or microscopic scale. The modular nature of the designs, combined with the potential synergistic effects of the hybrid systems, has resulted in novel hydrogel matrices with robust structure and defined functions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Delaware Biotechnology Institute, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19716, USA. xjia@udel.edu
authors.forename: Xinqiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: Kristi L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Kiick
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry*; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D023822:Tissue Engineering
chemical_list: D020100:Hydrogels; D011108:Polymers