Biomedical applications of laminarin

Regulation of Laminaria Polysaccharides with Different Degrees of Sulfation during the Growth of Calcium Oxalate Crystals and their Protective Effects on Renal Epithelial Cells

The original Laminaria polysaccharide (LP0) was sulfated using the sulfur trioxide-pyridine method, and four sulfated Laminaria polysaccharides (SLPs) were obtained, namely, SLP1, SLP2, SLP3, and SLP4. The sulfated (-OSO3 -) contents were 8.58%, 15.1%, 22.8%, and 31.3%, respectively. The structures of the polysaccharides were characterized using a Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrometer and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques. SLPs showed better antioxidant activity than LP0, increased the concentration of soluble Ca2+ in the solution, reduced the amount of CaOx precipitation and degree of CaOx crystal aggregation, induced COD crystal formation, and protected HK-2 cells from damage caused by nanometer calcium oxalate crystals. These effects can inhibit the formation of CaOx kidney stones. The biological activity of the polysaccharides increased with the content of -OSO3 -, that is, the biological activities of the polysaccharides had the following order: LP0 < SLP1 < SLP2 < SLP3 < SLP4. These results reveal that SLPs with high -OSO3 - contents are potential drugs for effectively inhibiting the formation of CaOx stones.

Modifications of polysaccharide-based biomaterials under structure-property relationship for biomedical applications

Polysaccharides are well accepted biomaterials that have attracted considerable attention. Compared with other materials under research, polysaccharides show unique advantages: they are available in nature and are normally easily acquired, those acquired from nature show favorable immunogenicity, and are biodegradable and bioavailable. The bioactivity and possible applications are based on their chemical structure; however, naturally acquired polysaccharides sometimes have unwanted flaws that limit further applications. For this reason, carefully summarizing the possible modifications of polysaccharides to improve them is crucial. Structural modifications can not only provide polysaccharides with additional functional groups but also change their physicochemical properties. This review based on the structure-property relation summarizes the common chemical modifications of polysaccharides, the related bioactivity changes, possible functionalization methods, and major possible biomedical applications based on modified polysaccharides.

Formation of Amphiphilic Molecules from the Most Common Marine Polysaccharides, toward a Sustainable Alternative?

Marine polysaccharides are part of the huge seaweeds resources and present many applications for several industries. In order to widen their potential as additives or bioactive compounds, some structural modifications have been studied. Among them, simple hydrophobization reactions have been developed in order to yield to grafted polysaccharides bearing acyl-, aryl-, alkyl-, and alkenyl-groups or fatty acid chains. The resulting polymers are able to present modified physicochemical and/or biological properties of interest in the current pharmaceutical, cosmetics, or food fields. This review covers the chemical structures of the main marine polysaccharides, and then focuses on their structural modifications, and especially on hydrophobization reactions mainly esterification, acylation, alkylation, amidation, or even cross-linking reaction on native hydroxyl-, amine, or carboxylic acid functions. Finally, the question of the necessary requirement for more sustainable processes around these structural modulations of marine polysaccharides is addressed, considering the development of greener technologies applied to traditional polysaccharides.

Supplementation of a lacto-fermented rapeseed-seaweed blend promotes gut microbial- and gut immune-modulation in weaner piglets

BACKGROUND

The direct use of medical zinc oxide in feed will be abandoned after 2022 in Europe, leaving an urgent need for substitutes to prevent post-weaning disorders.

RESULTS

This study investigated the effect of using rapeseed-seaweed blend (rapeseed meal added two brown macroalgae species Ascophylum nodosum and Saccharina latissima) fermented by lactobacilli (FRS) as feed ingredients in piglet weaning. From d 28 of life to d 85, the piglets were fed one of three different feeding regimens (n = 230 each) with inclusion of 0%, 2.5% and 5% FRS. In this period, no significant difference of piglet performance was found among the three groups. From a subset of piglets (n = 10 from each treatment), blood samples for hematology, biochemistry and immunoglobulin analysis, colon digesta for microbiome analysis, and jejunum and colon tissues for histopathological analyses were collected. The piglets fed with 2.5% FRS manifested alleviated intraepithelial and stromal lymphocytes infiltration in the gut, enhanced colon mucosa barrier relative to the 0% FRS group. The colon microbiota composition was determined using V3 and V1-V8 region 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing by Illumina NextSeq and Oxford Nanopore MinION, respectively. The two amplicon sequencing strategies showed high consistency between the detected bacteria. Both sequencing strategies indicated that inclusion of FRS reshaped the colon microbiome of weaned piglets with increased Shannon diversity. Prevotella stercorea was verified by both methods to be more abundant in the piglets supplied with FRS feed, and its abundance was positively correlated with colonic mucosa thickness but negatively correlated with blood concentrations of leucocytes and IgG.

CONCLUSIONS

FRS supplementation relieved the gut lymphocyte infiltration of the weaned piglets, improved the colon mucosa barrier with altered microbiota composition. Increasing the dietary inclusion of FRS from 2.5% to 5% did not lead to further improvements.

Bacterial alginate metabolism: an important pathway for bioconversion of brown algae

Brown macroalgae have attracted great attention as an alternative feedstock for biorefining. Although direct conversion of ethanol from alginates (major components of brown macroalgae cell walls) is not amenable for industrial production, significant progress has been made not only on enzymes involved in alginate degradation, but also on metabolic pathways for biorefining at the laboratory level. In this article, we summarise recent advances on four aspects: alginate, alginate lyases, different alginate-degrading systems, and application of alginate lyases and associated pathways. This knowledge will likely inspire sustainable solutions for further application of both alginate lyases and their associated pathways.

Double network laminarin-boronic/alginate dynamic bioink for 3D bioprinting cell-laden constructs

The design of dynamically crosslinked hydrogel bioinks for three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting is emerging as a valuable strategy to advance the fabrication of mechanically tuneable cell-laden constructs for 3Din vitrodisease modelling and tissue engineering applications. Herein, a dynamic bioink comprising boronic acid-functionalised laminarin and alginate is explored for bioprinting 3D constructs under physiologically relevant conditions. The formulated bioink takes advantage of a double crosslinked network that combines covalent but reversible boronate ester bonds and ionic gelation via divalent cations. Moreover, it exhibits suitable rheological properties and improved mechanical features owing to its modular crosslinking chemistry, yielding stable constructs with user-programmable architecture. We explored such dynamic bioink as a supporting matrix for different cell classes, namely osteoblast precursors, fibroblasts and breast cancer cells. The resulting cell-laden bioprinted hydrogels display a homogeneous cell distribution post-printing and exceptional cell viability (>90%) that can be maintained for prolonged time periods in culture (14 days) for all cell lines. This simple and chemically versatile approach is envisaged to accelerate the development of multifunctional bioinks and contribute towards the fabrication of biomimetic 3D scaffolds with applicability in a wide range of predictive or exploratory biomedical platforms.

A facile one-pot synthesis of microgels and nanogels of laminarin for biomedical applications

HYPOTHESIS

Laminarin (LAM) as a nontoxic, biodegradable, and biocompatible marine polysaccharide, has been reported for its ingenious bioactivities such as antioxidant, antitumor antiapoptotic anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and dietary fiber activities, and distinct physicochemical structure possess a remarkably promising potential in biomaterial science. Synthesis of LAM-based microgels and bulk hydrogels have been reported in two stages: modification of LAM polysaccharide with polymerizable functional groups and subsequent crosslinking reaction. Therefore, here an easier and more effortless methods to prepare poly(laminarin) (p(LAM)) particles were tackled.

EXPERIMENTAL

A direct and facile single step fabrication of micro/nanogels of p(LAM) for the first time by means of reverse micelle microemulsion system were illustrated. Preparation of p(LAM) particles were achieved by the well-known Oxa-Michael addition reaction mechanism using divinyl sulfone as the crosslinker.

FINDINGS

P(LAM) particles in 0.3-10 µm size range in spherical morphologies were prepared with 93 ± 7% yield and functionalized with chlorosulfonic acid (CSA) demonstrating their chemical modifiability for variety of agents e.g., targeting ligands. The bare and modified p(LAM) particles showed excellent blood compatibility with hemolytic indices of <1% and blood clotting indices higher than 90%. The reported p(LAM) particles hold great promise as natural alternative surrogates in biomedical applications including drug delivery.

Antimicrobials from Seaweeds for Food Applications

The exponential growth of emerging multidrug-resistant microorganisms, including foodborne pathogens affecting the shelf-life and quality of foods, has recently increased the needs of the food industry to search for novel, natural and eco-friendly antimicrobial agents. Macroalgae are a bio-diverse group distributed worldwide, known to produce multiple compounds of diverse chemical nature, different to those produced by terrestrial plants. These novel compounds have shown promising health benefits when incorporated into foods, including antimicrobial properties. This review aims to provide an overview of the general methods and novel compounds with antimicrobial properties recently isolated and characterized from macroalgae, emphasizing the molecular pathways of their antimicrobial mechanisms of action. The current scientific evidence on the use of macroalgae or macroalgal extracts to increase the shelf-life of foods and prevent the development of foodborne pathogens in real food products and their influence on the sensory attributes of multiple foods (i.e., meat, dairy, beverages, fish and bakery products) will also be discussed, together with the main challenges and future trends of the use of marine natural products as antimicrobials.

Whole Alga, Algal Extracts, and Compounds as Ingredients of Functional Foods: Composition and Action Mechanism Relationships in the Prevention and Treatment of Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus

Type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a major systemic disease which involves impaired pancreatic function and currently affects half a billion people worldwide. Diet is considered the cornerstone to reduce incidence and prevalence of this disease. Algae contains fiber, polyphenols, ω-3 PUFAs, and bioactive molecules with potential antidiabetic activity. This review delves into the applications of algae and their components in T2DM, as well as to ascertain the mechanism involved (e.g., glucose absorption, lipids metabolism, antioxidant properties, etc.). PubMed, and Google Scholar databases were used. Papers in which whole alga, algal extracts, or their isolated compounds were studied in in vitro conditions, T2DM experimental models, and humans were selected and discussed. This review also focuses on meat matrices or protein concentrate-based products in which different types of alga were included, aimed to modulate carbohydrate digestion and absorption, blood glucose, gastrointestinal neurohormones secretion, glycosylation products, and insulin resistance. As microbiota dysbiosis in T2DM and metabolic alterations in different organs are related, the review also delves on the effects of several bioactive algal compounds on the colon/microbiota-liver-pancreas-brain axis. As the responses to therapeutic diets vary dramatically among individuals due to genetic components, it seems a priority to identify major gene polymorphisms affecting potential positive effects of algal compounds on T2DM treatment.

Strontium Laminarin polysaccharide modulates osteogenesis-angiogenesis for bone regeneration

Bone regeneration and repair has become one of the major clinical challenges worldwide and it involves multiple processes including inflammation, angiogenesis and osteogenesis. In this study, we synthesized strontium Laminarin polysaccharide (LP-Sr), a novel polysaccharide-metal complex that should have therapeutic effects on modulating osteogenesis and angiogenesis. The structure and composition of the as-fabricated LP-Sr were analyzed by EDS, XRD, FITR, ¹H NMR, HPLC, etc. The results indicate that we successfully synthesized this novel polysaccharide complex. Moreover, we evaluated the biomedical potential of this complex in promoting osteogenesis and angiogenesis by cell proliferation assay, ALP staining, immunofluorescent staining of CD31 and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The biological experiment results show that LP-Sr can effectively promote proliferation and increase the expression of VEGF and EGFL6 in HUVECs and significantly up-regulate the expression of Col1α1 and OCN in MC3T3-E1. Besides, it is suggested that LP-Sr has positive effects on the suppression of pro-inflammatory factor IL6 in both HUVECs and MC3T3-E1. Moreover, the osteogenic and angiogenic markers, i.e. alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and CD31, exhibited high expression in LP-Sr group. Hence, we believe that LP-Sr should be a promising and novel polysaccharide complex in modulating osteogenesis-angiogenesis for bone regeneration.

Anti-Photoaging and Potential Skin Health Benefits of Seaweeds

The skin health benefits of seaweeds have been known since time immemorial. They are known as potential renewable sources of bioactive metabolites that have unique structural and functional features compared to their terrestrial counterparts. In addition, to the consciousness of green, eco-friendly, and natural skincare and cosmetics products, their extracts and bioactive compounds such as fucoidan, laminarin, carrageenan, fucoxanthin, and mycosporine like amino acids (MAAs) have proven useful in the skincare and cosmetic industries. These bioactive compounds have shown potential anti-photoaging properties. Furthermore, some of these bioactive compounds have been clinically tested and currently available in the market. In this contribution, the recent studies on anti-photoaging properties of extracts and bioactive compounds derived from seaweeds were described and discussed.

Marine Natural Products: Promising Candidates in the Modulation of Gut-Brain Axis towards Neuroprotection

In recent decades, several neuroprotective agents have been provided in combating neuronal dysfunctions; however, no effective treatment has been found towards the complete eradication of neurodegenerative diseases. From the pathophysiological point of view, growing studies are indicating a bidirectional relationship between gut and brain termed gut-brain axis in the context of health/disease. Revealing the gut-brain axis has survived new hopes in the prevention, management, and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Accordingly, introducing novel alternative therapies in regulating the gut-brain axis seems to be an emerging concept to pave the road in fighting neurodegenerative diseases. Growing studies have developed marine-derived natural products as hopeful candidates in a simultaneous targeting of gut-brain dysregulated mediators towards neuroprotection. Of marine natural products, carotenoids (e.g., fucoxanthin, and astaxanthin), phytosterols (e.g., fucosterol), polysaccharides (e.g., fucoidan, chitosan, alginate, and laminarin), macrolactins (e.g., macrolactin A), diterpenes (e.g., lobocrasol, excavatolide B, and crassumol E) and sesquiterpenes (e.g., zonarol) have shown to be promising candidates in modulating gut-brain axis. The aforementioned marine natural products are potential regulators of inflammatory, apoptotic, and oxidative stress mediators towards a bidirectional regulation of the gut-brain axis. The present study aims at describing the gut-brain axis, the importance of gut microbiota in neurological diseases, as well as the modulatory role of marine natural products towards neuroprotection.

The Inhibition Effect of the Seaweed Polyphenol, 7-Phloro-Eckol from Ecklonia Cava on Alcohol-Induced Oxidative Stress in HepG2/CYP2E1 Cells

The liver is vulnerable to oxidative stress-induced damage, which leads to many diseases, including alcoholic liver disease (ALD). Liver disease endanger people's health, and the incidence of ALD is increasing; therefore, prevention is very important. 7-phloro-eckol (7PE) is a seaweed polyphenol, which was isolated from Ecklonia cava in a previous study. In this study, the antioxidative stress effect of 7PE on HepG2/CYP2E1 cells was evaluated by alcohol-induced cytotoxicity, DNA damage, and expression of related inflammation and apoptosis proteins. The results showed that 7PE caused alcohol-induced cytotoxicity to abate, reduced the amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO), and effectively inhibited DNA damage in HepG2/CYP2E1 cells. Additionally, the expression levels of glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), B cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), and Akt increased, while γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT), Bcl-2 related x (Bax), cleaved caspase-3, cleaved caspase-9, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), and JNK decreased. Finally, molecular docking proved that 7PE could bind to BCL-2 and GSH protein. These results indicate that 7PE can alleviate the alcohol-induced oxidative stress injury of HepG2 cells and that 7PE may have a potential application prospect in the future development of antioxidants.

A modified coagulation-ultrafiltration process for silver nanoparticles removal and membrane fouling mitigation: The role of laminarin

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in surface water are highly toxic to humans and difficult to remove due to their adsorption to humic acid (HA). In this study, laminarin (LA) was used as a coagulant aid in a coagulation-ultrafiltration (C-UF) system to improve AgNPs-HA removal efficiency. C-UF efficiency, membrane flux, and flocs properties were investigated to explore the AgNPs-HA removal mechanism and membrane fouling. Results showed that when poly aluminum chloride (PAC) was dosed with LA, AgNPs-HA removal was 10-15% higher than when using PAC alone. The C-UF system using only PAC improved the AgNPs-HA removal efficiency through increased coagulation but resulted in membrane fouling. LA application helped mitigate membrane fouling, and the highest normalized permeate flux and smallest resistance values (0.573 and 2.180 × 10¹⁰ m^-1, respectively) were achieved when 0.1 mg/L of LA was applied with 5 mg/L of PAC. The alleviating mechanism was related to flocs with large sizes and small fractal dimension (D_f) values, generating a cake layer with porous morphology. This cake layer was easily removed by flushing and backwashing, which resulted in minimal resistance and fouling of the UF membrane.

Recent Advances in Marine-Based Nutraceuticals and Their Health Benefits

The oceans have been the Earth's most valuable source of food. They have now also become a valuable and versatile source of bioactive compounds. The significance of marine organisms as a natural source of new substances that may contribute to the food sector and the overall health of humans are expanding. This review is an update on the recent studies of functional seafood compounds (chitin and chitosan, pigments from algae, fish lipids and omega-3 fatty acids, essential amino acids and bioactive proteins/peptides, polysaccharides, phenolic compounds, and minerals) focusing on their potential use as nutraceuticals and health benefits.

Modular Functionalization of Laminarin to Create Value-Added Naturally Derived Macromolecules

With society's growing awareness of climate change, novel renewable and naturally sourced materials have received increasing attention as substitutes for petroleum-based products. Laminarin (LAM-OH) is a highly abundant, nontoxic, degradable polysaccharide found in marine organisms and hence is a promising sustainable polymeric candidate. This work reports on a simple, environmentally friendly, and customizable functionalization strategy for producing a toolbox of LAM-OH derivatives under mild conditions. Herein, natural-origin macromolecules exhibiting specific chemical moieties, namely, allyl, amine, carboxylic acid, thiol, aldehyde, and catechol, were prepared and chemically characterized. Furthermore, the obtained polymers were processed into cytocompatible hydrogels, obtained by employing distinct cross-linking mechanisms, to assess their potential for biomedical purposes. The application scope of such polymers could be extended to fields such as catalysis, cosmetics, life sciences, and food packaging, which can also benefit from having sustainable, nontoxic, and degradable materials. Moreover, it is anticipated that the methodology employed to create this library of new natural-based products could be adapted to modify other polysaccharides and biopolymers in general.

Laminarans and 1,3-β-D-glucanases

The laminarans are biologically active water-soluble polysaccharide (1,3;1,6-β-D-glucans) of brown algae. These polysaccharides are an attractive object for research due to its relatively simple structure, low toxicity, and various biological effects. 1,3-β-D-glucanases are an effective tool for studying the structure of laminarans, and can also be used to obtain new biologically active derivatives. This review is to outline what is currently known about laminarans and enzymes that catalyze of their transformation. We focused on information about sources, structure and properties of laminarans and 1,3-β-D-glucanases, methods of obtaining and structural elucidation of laminarans, and biological activity of laminarans and products of their enzymatic transformation. It has an increased focus on the immunomodulating and anticancer activity of laminarans and their derivatives.

Structural characterization and transcript-metabolite correlation network of immunostimulatory effects of sulfated polysaccharides from green alga Ulva pertusa

Three water-soluble polysaccharides (UPPs 1-3) were obtained from edible green alga Ulva pertusa. The chemico-physical analyses indicated that UPPs 1-3 possessed molecular weights of 376.7 kDa, 57.21 kDa, and 131.13 kDa, with sulfate contents of 26.01 ± 8.13%, 9.86 ± 3.24%, and 13.32 ± 6.56%, respectively, and composed of arabinose, galactose, glucose, xylose, galacturonic acid, glucuronic acid, and mannuronic acid, with different ratios. The in vitro studies revealed that UPP-1 showed significant effects on the proliferation and phagocytic activity of macrophage, release of nitric oxide, and secretion of cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6). The transcript-metabolite analysis of UPP-1 treated macrophage revealed 4747 differential genes (2416 up-regulated and 2331 down-regulated) and 94 differential metabolites (77 up-regulated and 17 down-regulated) that significantly co-mapped a transcript-metabolite correlation network of biosynthesis of amino acids, glycerophospholipid metabolism, and carbon metabolism. Thus, these findings provide a valuable foundation for the potential application of U. pertusa polysaccharides.

Effects of reducing dietary crude protein concentration and supplementation with laminarin or zinc oxide on the faecal scores and colonic microbiota in newly weaned pigs

A 2 × 3 factorial design experiment was conducted to examine the effects of reducing dietary crude protein (CP) concentration and/or supplementation with zinc oxide (ZnO) or laminarin on faecal scores (FS) and the large intestinal microbiota post-weaning (PW). One hundred and forty-four pigs were assigned to (T1) 21% standard CP diet (SCP); (T2) SCP + ZnO (SCP ZnO); (T3) SCP + laminarin (SCP LAM); (T4) 18% low CP diet (LCP); (T5) LCP + ZnO (LCP ZnO); and (T6) LCP + laminarin (LCP LAM; n = 8 replicates/treatment). The LCP diet had no effect on FS (p > .05), it increased two measures of alpha diversity, reduced Bacteroidetes and increased Enterobacteriaceae and Helicobacteraceae in the colon relative to the SCP diet (p < .05). ZnO supplementation reduced FS and increased Ruminococcaceae compared with unsupplemented pigs (p < .05). ZnO supplementation increased the genera Frisingicoccus (p < .001), Lachnoclostridium (p < .05) and Peptoclostridium (p < .05) in the colon and reduced total caecal volatile fatty acids (VFA) concentrations compared with the unsupplemented and laminarin-supplemented pigs. Laminarin supplementation reduced FS compared with unsupplemented pigs but had no major effect on the microbiota compared with the unsupplemented pigs. There were CP concentration × additive interactions on both Firmicutes and Proteobacteria. Firmicutes were increased in the LCP ZnO group compared with the LCP group, but there was no difference between the SCP groups. Proteobacteria were reduced in the LCP ZnO group compared with the LCP and LCP LAM groups (p < .05), but there was no difference between the SCP groups. In conclusion, reducing CP did not improve FS; it increased the relative abundance of Enterobacteriaceae; however, it also increased bacterial diversity. Supplementation with ZnO and laminarin improved FS, although all groups had scores within the healthy range. ZnO altered the large intestinal microbiota and VFA concentrations; however, laminarin did not enhance these parameters, suggesting these compounds have differing modes of action.

Marine Biocompounds for Neuroprotection-A Review

While terrestrial organisms are the primary source of natural products, recent years have witnessed a considerable shift towards marine-sourced biocompounds. They have achieved a great scientific interest due to the plethora of compounds with structural and chemical properties generally not found in terrestrial products, exhibiting significant bioactivity ten times higher than terrestrial-sourced molecules. In addition to the antioxidant, anti-thrombotic, anti-coagulant, anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative, anti-hypertensive, anti-diabetic, and cardio-protection properties, marine-sourced biocompounds have been investigated for their neuroprotective potential. Thus, this review aims to describe the recent findings regarding the neuroprotective effects of the significant marine-sourced biocompounds.

Mechanochemical Patternable ECM-Mimetic Hydrogels for Programmed Cell Orientation

Native human tissues are supported by a viscoelastic extracellular matrix (ECM) that can adapt its intricate network to dynamic mechanical stimuli. To recapitulate the unique ECM biofunctionality, hydrogel design is shifting from typical covalent crosslinks toward covalently adaptable networks. To pursue such properties, herein hybrid polysaccharide-polypeptide networks are designed based on dynamic covalent assembly inspired by natural ECM crosslinking processes. This is achieved through the synthesis of an amine-reactive oxidized-laminarin biopolymer that can readily crosslink with gelatin (oxLAM-Gelatin) and simultaneously allow cell encapsulation. Interestingly, the rational design of oxLAM-Gelatin hydrogels with varying aldehyde-to-amine ratios enables a refined control over crosslinking kinetics, viscoelastic properties, and degradability profile. The mechanochemical features of these hydrogels post-crosslinking offer an alternative route for imprinting any intended nano- or microtopography in ECM-mimetic matrices bearing inherent cell-adhesive motifs. Different patterns are easily paved in oxLAM-Gelatin under physiological conditions and complex topographical configurations are retained along time. Human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells contacting mechanically sculpted oxLAM-Gelatin hydrogels sense the underlying surface nanotopography and align parallel to the anisotropic nanoridge/nanogroove intercalating array. These findings demonstrate that covalently adaptable features in ECM-mimetic networks can be leveraged to combine surface topography and cell-adhesive motifs as they appear in natural matrices.