Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39800098›Full record

ArticleActa biomaterialia2025

Reversible light-responsive protein hydrogel for on-demand cell encapsulation and release.

Om Prakash Narayan, Jiawei Dong, Miao Huang, Liqiang Chen, Lu Liu, Vivian Nguyen, Abdul Vehab Dozic, Xiangping Liu, Huiliang Wang, Qian Yin and 2 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Acta biomaterialia, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Review
  4. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Om Prakash NarayanDivision of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
Jiawei DongDivision of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
Miao HuangDepartment of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA; University of Florida Health Cancer Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA.
Liqiang ChenDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
Lu LiuDivision of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
Vivian NguyenDepartment of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
Abdul Vehab DozicDepartment of Physics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
Xiangping LiuDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
Huiliang WangDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
Qian YinDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
Xin TangDepartment of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA; University of Florida Health Cancer Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA. Electronic address: xin.tang@ufl.edu.
Juan GuanDivision of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA. Electronic address: juanguan@utexas.edu.

Funding

Mechanisms of Assembly and Functional Regulation in Non-canonical Biomolecular CondensatesR35GM146877 · NIGMS · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN · PI Juan Guan · 2022 to 2026
$2.0M
Mechanisms and Functions of Unconventional Intercellular Calcium Waves in Electrically Non-excitable CellsR35GM150812 · NIGMS · UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA · PI Xin Tang · 2023 to 2026
$1.4M
NIGMS NIH HHS R35 GM146877NIGMS NIH HHS R35 GM150812
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The design of biomaterials that can reconfigure on-demand in response to external stimuli is an emerging area in materials research. However, achieving reversible assembly of protein-based biomaterials by light input remains a major challenge. Here, we present the engineering of a new protein material that is capable of switching between liquid and solid state reversibly, controlled by lights of different wavelengths. The materials are created by incorporating a light-responsive mutant Dronpa protein domain into the backbone of Elastin-Like Proteins (termed DELPs). We show that the DELP material can respond to light and undergo multiple cycles of switching between hydrogel and solution, outperforming the conventional irreversible materials. Additionally, the material is biocompatible with long-term cell proliferation in both adherent and suspension cells. Building on the reversible assembly of the material, we demonstrate efficient cell encapsulation and release upon light triggers. The design principle of incorporating a light-responsive protein element into a structural protein matrix, as demonstrated in this work enables, a broad range of other applications that require adaptive materials to intelligently interface with dynamic biological systems and environments. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: This work generates a new class of "smart" biomaterials that uniquely switches between liquid and gel states in response to light input. Light input can be precisely delivered in space and time, highly tunable through wavelengths, intensities, and durations of light exposure. In prior research, light-responsive biomaterials are mostly irreversible, limiting their use to only uni-directional applications and the materials cannot be re-used. In contrast, this material robustly displays reversible switching between liquid and gel using a light-responsive crosslinker. Furthermore, the material is biocompatible, programmable, and suitable for broad applications including but not limited to cell encapsulation, controlled release, tissue engineering, and cell/tissue mechanobiology.

Indexed as

Cell EncapsulationElastinHydrogelsLightAnimalsCell ProliferationHumansMiceElastinHydrogelsBiomaterialCell encapsulationDronpaElastin-like proteinsLight responsive proteinsProtein engineeringStimuli responsive proteins

Identifiers

PMID39800098
PMCPMC11847564

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.