title: Bio-responsive polymer hydrogels homeostatically regulate blood coagulation.
abstract: Bio-responsive polymer architectures can empower medical therapies by engaging molecular feedback-response mechanisms resembling the homeostatic adaptation of living tissues to varying environmental constraints. Here we show that a blood coagulation-responsive hydrogel system can deliver heparin in amounts triggered by the environmental levels of thrombin, the key enzyme of the coagulation cascade, which--in turn--becomes inactivated due to released heparin. The bio-responsive hydrogel quantitatively quenches blood coagulation over several hours in the presence of pro-coagulant stimuli and during repeated incubation with fresh, non-anticoagulated blood. These features enable the introduced material to provide sustainable, autoregulated anticoagulation, addressing a key challenge of many medical therapies. Beyond that, the explored concept may facilitate the development of materials that allow the effective and controlled application of drugs and biomolecules.
authors.affiliation: Max Bergmann Center of Biomaterials, Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden, Hohe Strasse 6, 01069 Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Manfred F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Maitz
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Freudenberg
authors.forename: Mikhail V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Tsurkan
authors.forename: Marion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: Theresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Beyrich
authors.forename: Carsten
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Werner
mesh_terms: D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D001777:Blood Coagulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D006493:Heparin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry; D011108:Polymers / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D013917:Thrombin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D020100:Hydrogels; D009842:Oligopeptides; D011108:Polymers; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D006493:Heparin; D013917:Thrombin