Mucin glycoproteins for biomedical applications
Prof. Oliver Lieleg - SFB1032 Technische Universität München
All wet epithelia in the human body are covered with mucins, high molecular glycoproteins which constitute the main component of mucus. Those mucins combine a broad spectrum of interesting properties: they prevent bacterial adhesion to surfaces, lubricate surfaces and prevent wear and form hydrogels with selective permeability properties that e.g. block viral penetration.
In my lab, we purify those mucins from the mucosa of pig stomachs and generate mucin-based materials for different biomedical applications. I will discuss our approach to use mucins as components for wound gels [1], as biolubricants [2] or as components in artificial filter systems. I will also discuss strategies to tune the properties of mucins and mucin hydrogels by chemical and physical modifications, e.g. to achieve local penetration of mucus by artificial microswimmers [3].
[1] Nowald et al., A Selective Mucin/Methylcellulose Hybrid Gel with Tailored Mechanical Properties,
revision submitted
[2] Crouzier et al., Modulating Mucin Hydration and Lubrication by Deglycosilation and Polyethylene
Glycol Binding, Advanced Materials Interfaces, (2015)
[3] Walker et al., Enzymatically Active Biomimetic Micropropellers for the Penetration of Mucin Gels,
Science Advances, in print