Enzyme-responsive biomaterials for biomedical applications
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Pi, Yipeng
Kavya, Ganabady
Celiz, Adam
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Enzyme-responsive biomaterials are smart materials designed to interact with the body’s natural processes. Hydrogels, in particular, can change structure in response to specific enzymes, enabling controlled drug delivery, tissue regeneration, and improved healing. By mimicking biological environments, they provide precise, targeted treatments for conditions such as cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal injuries, and chronic wounds. This review highlights advances in enzyme-responsive biomaterials in the recent decades, focusing on polymeric hydrogels. We examine therapeutic, scaffold, and diagnostic applications across musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, pulmonary, dental, dermal, gastrointestinal, and hepatic systems, and conclude with emerging concepts and future perspectives for clinical translation.
Date Issued
2025-11-20
Date Acceptance
2025-09-30
Citation
Communications Materials, 2025, 6
ISSN
2662-4443
Publisher
Nature Portfolio
Journal / Book Title
Communications Materials
Volume
6
Copyright Statement
© The Author(s) 2025. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
License URL
Identifier
10.1038/s43246-025-00983-0
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
ARTN 263