Tropoelastin and enhanced wound repair

Elastic tissue does not typically regenerate in adults, so there is demand for ways to restore these tissues following damage. This relies on the exogenous supply of elastin’s primary building block, tropoelastin. We have developed ways to use tropoelastin to 3D print and build a range of elastic repair materials. To our surprise, tropoelastin also promotes broader tissue repair. Powerfully, the use of tropoelastin promotes healing following surgery, including the recovery of full thickness wounds.

An emerging model for tropoelastin is that it delivers this potency by emulating extracellular matrix interactions including those through development and repair. This paradigm for enhanced tissue repair encompasses a novel, pure, synthetic material that promotes the repair and fixation of soft tissues. Tropoelastin-based materials leverage the ability to promote new blood vessel formation and cell recruiting properties to accelerate healing on applied tissues. Understanding these mechanisms has led to the realization of a diverse range of promising biomaterials with tunable mechanical and self-assembly properties.