Melanin Precursor Influence on Structural Colors from Artificial Melanin Particles: PolyDOPA, Polydopamine, and Polynorepinephrine

Exploiting Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to reveal temperature, buffer and metal ions' role in neuromelanin (NM) synthesis by dopamine (DA) oxidative polymerization

Neuromelanin (NM) plays a well-established role in neurological disorders pathogenesis; the mechanism of action is still discussed and the investigations in this field are limited by NM's complex and heterogeneous composition, insolubility, and low availability from human brains. An alternative can be offered by synthetic NM obtained from dopamine (DA) oxidative polymerization; however, a deep knowledge of the influence of both physicochemical parameters (T, pH, ionic strength) and other compounds in the reaction media (buffer, metal ions, other catecholamines) on DA oxidation process and, consequently, on synthetic NM features is mandatory to develop reliable NM preparation methodologies. To partially fulfill this aim, the present work focuses on defining the role of temperature, buffer and metal ions on both DA oxidation rate and DA oligomer size. DA oxidation in the specific conditions is monitored by UV-Vis spectroscopy and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is run either on the raw spectra to model the background absorption increase, related to small DA oligomers formation, or on their first derivative to rationalize DA consumption. After having studied three case studies, 3-Way PCA is applied to directly evaluate the effect of temperature and buffer type on DA oxidation in the presence of different metal ions. Despite the proof-of-concept nature of the work and the number of compounds still to be included in the investigation, the preliminary results and the possibility to further expand the chemometric approach represent an interesting contribution to the field of in vitro simulation of NM synthesis.

Interactions of Melanin with Electromagnetic Radiation: From Fundamentals to Applications

Melanin, especially integumentary melanin, interacts in numerous ways with electromagnetic radiation, leading to a set of critical functions, including radiation protection, UV-protection, pigmentary and structural color productions, and thermoregulation. By harnessing these functions, melanin and melanin-like materials can be widely applied to diverse applications with extraordinary performance. Here we provide a unified overview of the melanin family (all melanin and melanin-like materials) and their interactions with the complete electromagnetic radiation spectrum (X-ray, Gamma-ray, UV, visible, near-infrared), which until now has been absent from the literature and is needed to establish a solid fundamental base to facilitate their future investigation and development. We begin by discussing the chemistries and morphologies of both natural and artificial melanin, then the fundamentals of melanin-radiation interactions, and finally the exciting new developments in high-performance melanin-based functional materials that exploit these interactions. This Review provides both a comprehensive overview and a discussion of future perspectives for each subfield of melanin that will help direct the future development of melanin from both fundamental and applied perspectives.

Melanin-Ce6-loaded polydopamine nanoparticles-based enhanced phototherapy for B16 melanoma cancer cells

Melanoma is one of the most aggressive and lethal types of cancer owing to its metastatic propensity and chemoresistance property. An alternative therapeutic option is photodynamic and photothermal therapies (PDT/PTT), which employ near-infrared (NIR) light to generate heat and reactive oxygen species (ROS). As per previous reports, Melanin (Mel), and its synthetic analogs (i.e. polydopamine nanoparticles) can induce NIR light-mediated heat energy, thereby selectively targeting and ameliorating cancer cells. Similarly, chlorin e6 (Ce6) also has high ROS generation ability and antitumor activity against various types of cancer. Based on this tenet, In the current study, we have encapsulated Mel-Ce6 in a polydopamine (PDA) nanocarrier (MCP NPs) synthesized by the oxidation polymerization method. The hydrodynamic diameter of the synthesized spherical MCP NPs was 139 ± 10 nm. The MCP NPs, upon irradiation with NIR 690 nm laser for 6 min, showed photothermal efficacy of more than 50 °C. Moreover, the red fluorescence in the MCP NPs due to Ce6 can be leveraged for diagnostic purposes. Further, the MCP NPs exhibited considerable biocompatibility with the L929 cell line and exerted nearly 70% ROS-mediated cytotoxicity on the B16 melanoma cell line after the laser irradiation. Thus, the prepared MCP NPs could be a promising theranostic agent for treating the B16 melanoma cancer.

The In Vivo Fate of Polycatecholamine Coated Nanoparticles Is Determined by a Fibrinogen Enriched Protein Corona

Polycatecholamine coatings have attracted significant attention in the past 10 years owing to their ability to functionalize a wide range of materials. Here we apply the use of such coatings to drug nanocrystals, made from a poorly soluble drug compound, to postfunctionalize the nanocrystal surface with the aim of providing steric stabilization and extending their circulation time after intravenous injection. We show that both polydopamine and polynorepinephrine can be used to successfully modify drug nanocrystals and subsequently incorporate end-functionalized PEG to the surface. Even though high grafting densities of PEG were achieved, we observed rapid clearance and increased liver uptake for polycatecholamine functionalized drug nanocrystals. Using both surface sensitive model systems and protein corona profiling, we determine that the rapid clearance was correlated with an increase in adsorption of proteins involved in coagulation to the polycatecholamine surface, with fibrinogen being the most abundant. Further analysis of the most abundant proteins revealed a significant increase in thiol-rich proteins on polycatecholamine coated surfaces. The observed interaction with coagulation proteins highlights one of the current challenges using polycatecholamines for drug delivery but might also provide insights to the growing use of these materials in hemostatic applications.

Melanin/melanin-like nanoparticles: As a naturally active platform for imaging-guided disease therapy

The development of biocompatible and efficient nanoplatforms that combine diagnostic and therapeutic functions is of great importance for precise disease treatment. Melanin, an endogenous biopolymer present in living organisms, has attracted increasing attention as a versatile bioinspired functional platform owing to its unique physicochemical properties (e.g., high biocompatibility, strong chelation of metal ions, broadband light absorption, high drug binding properties) and inherent antioxidant, photoprotective, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumor effects. In this review, the fundamental physicochemical properties and preparation methods of natural melanin and melanin-like nanoparticles were outlined. A systematical description of the recent progress of melanin and melanin-like nanoparticles in single, dual-, and tri-multimodal imaging-guided the visual administration and treatment of osteoarthritis, acute liver injury, acute kidney injury, acute lung injury, brain injury, periodontitis, iron overload, etc. Was then given. Finally, it concluded with a reasoned discussion of current challenges toward clinical translation and future striving directions. Therefore, this comprehensive review provides insight into the current status of melanin and melanin-like nanoparticles research and is expected to optimize the design of novel melanin-based therapeutic platforms and further clinical translation.

Influence of Core Type and Shell Thickness on Avian-Inspired Structural Colors Produced from Melanin Nanoparticle Assemblies

Hollow melanosomes found in iridescent bird feathers, including violet-backed starlings and wild turkeys, enable the generation of diverse structural colors. It has been postulated that the high refractive index (RI) contrast between melanin (1.74) and air (1.0) results in brighter and more saturated colors. This has led to several studies that have synthesized hollow synthetic melanin nanoparticles and fabricated colloidal nanostructures to produce synthetic structural colors. However, these studies use hollow nanoparticles with thin shells (<20 nm), even though shell thicknesses as high as 100 nm have been observed in natural melanosomes. Here, we combine experimental and computational approaches to examine the influence of the varying polydopamine (PDA, synthetic melanin) shell thickness (0-100 nm) and core material on structural colors. Experimentally, a concomitant change in overall particle size and RI contrast makes it difficult to interpret the effect of a hollow or solid core on color. Thus, we utilize finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations to uncover the effect of shell thickness and core on structural colors. Our FDTD results highlight that hollow particles with thin shells have substantially higher saturation than same-sized solid and core-shell particles. These results would benefit a wide range of applications including paints, coatings, and cosmetics.

Crack-Free Structural Color Materials Prepared without Disrupting the Particle Arrangement by Controlling the Internal Stress Relaxation and Interactions of the Melanin Particles

In fabricating structural color materials with assembled colloidal particles, there is a trade-off between the internal stresses acting on the particles and the interactions between the particles during solvent volatilization. It is crucial to fabricate crack-free materials that maintain the periodic arrangements of the particles by understanding the mechanism for crack initiation. Here, we focused on the composition and additives of melanin particle dispersions to obtain crack-free structural color materials without disturbing the particle arrangements. The use of a water/ethanol mixture as a dispersant effectively reduced the internal stresses of the particles during solvent evaporation. Furthermore, the addition of low-molecular-weight, low-volatility ionic liquids ensured that the arrangement and interactions of the particles were maintained after solvent volatilization. Optimization of the composition and additives of the dispersion made it possible to achieve crack-free melanin-based structural color materials while maintaining vivid, angular-dependent color tones.

A Flexible and Robust Structural Color Film Obtained by Assembly of Surface-Modified Melanin Particles

In this study, core-shell-hairy-type melanin particles surface modified with a polydopamine shell layer and a polymer brush hairy layer were fabricated and assembled to readily obtain bright structural color films. The hot pressing of freeze-dried samples of melanin particles decorated with a hydrophilic, low glass transition temperature polymer brush results in films that exhibit an angle-dependent structural color due to a highly periodic microstructure, with increased regularity in the arrangement of the particle array due to the fluidity of the particles. Flexible, self-supporting, and easy-to-cut and process structural color films are obtained, and their flexibility and robustness are demonstrated using compression tests. This method of obtaining highly visible structural color films using melanin particles as a single component will have a significant impact on practical materials and applications.

Recent developments in polynorepinephrine: an innovative material for bioinspired coatings and colloids

While applications of polydopamine (PDA) are exponentially growing, research concerning the closely related neurotransmitter derivative polynorepinephrine (PNE) is in paucity, even though norepinephrine shares dopamine's ability to self-polymerize and form a coating film that is nearly substrate-agnostic. In this review, we demonstrate that PNE can be used as an alternative to PDA with equal or ever superior performance. PNE offers a thinner and smoother coating surface and thus is capable of more effectively resisting fouling by biofoulants, enhancing cell adhesion capability, surface hydrophilicity and biomolecule immobilisation. With the abundance of catechol, amino and hydroxyl groups in PNE's structure, PNE can perform as an electron donor and receiver at the same time and initiate ring opening and redox reactions. It has also been shown that PNE has the potential to be used as a biosensor due to its bioconjugation and molecular recognition ability. Here, we summarise the applications of PNE to date and discuss its potential research directions in the near future.

Hydrophilic Polymer-Guided Polycatecholamine Assembly and Surface Deposition

Mussel-inspired surface chemistry based on polycatecholamines and polyphenols has been widely applied as a facile and universal method for modifying surfaces. Specifically, the catecholamine-assisted codeposition as a one-step strategy is a versatile strategy used to impart surface functionalities. Despite successful incorporation of numerous functional agents, very little understanding has emerged over the years regarding the mechanism behind their coassembly and codeposition. Here, we employed six different ultrahigh molecular weight hydrophilic polymers of diverse chemistry and architecture and three catecholamines and a polyphenol for investigating the coassembly and codeposition process. The chemistry of the polymers is found to influence the strength of the interaction between the polycatecholamine and the hydrophilic polymers, thus playing an important role in the aqueous self-assembly in solution to nanoaggregates, its formation kinetics, steric stabilization, and surface deposition. Additionally, the codeposition method was used as a platform for developing antifouling and antibiofilm coatings and evaluating their efficiency. Both the chemistry of hydrophilic polymers and the type of the catecholamine influence the antibiofilm properties of the coating. Our studies demonstrated that significant opportunities exist to further define the surface coating process and polycatecholamine self-assembly process by altering the polycatecholamine-hydrophilic polymer interactions.

The Fabrication of Full Chromatography SiO2@PDA Photonic Crystal Structural Colored Fabric with High Thermal Stability

Traditional textile dyeing and finishing industries are two of the most important sources of high pollution, high energy consumption, and high emissions. Structural color, as a clean ecological staining method that does not require any dye or pigment, has received extreme attention from researchers. In this study, core-shell structures of SiO2@PDA microspheres were prepared by coating polydopamine (PDA) formed by rapid polymerization of dopamine (DA) on the surface of SiO2 microspheres. Moreover, the structural colors of full chromatography were successfully prepared by vertical self-assembly on silk. The morphology and chemical structure of the prepared SiO2@PDA microspheres were studied by SEM and FT-IR, and the morphology and optical properties of the structured colored fabrics were characterized by SEM and material microscope. The different structural colors of the entire visible region were obtained by controlling the particle size of SiO2@PDA microspheres and the viewing angle of the SiO2@PDA photonic crystal, which are consistent with Bragg’s diffraction law. Since the SiO2@PDA photonic crystal has thermal stability, the prepared structural color fabric could remain highly saturated in color at temperatures up to 200 °C. This has a previously unreported high thermal stability on structural colors of silk. Therefore, the research work will demonstrate a structural color fabric that can prepare full chromatography with high thermal stability.

Biomimetic Chiral Photonic Materials with Tunable Metallic Colorations Prepared from Chiral Melanin-like Nanorods for UV Shielding, Humidity Sensing, and Cosmetics

Many biological species combine the helical organization of cellulose or chitin microfibrils with broadband light absorption of black melanin to produce brilliant structural colors with metallic and glossy effects and other diverse functions. In this work, based on core-shell CNC@PDA chiral nanorods consisting of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) as the core and melanin-like polydopamine (PDA) as the shell that can form well-defined chiral liquid crystal phases, we report chiral photonic materials that closely mimic the unique coloration mechanisms and functionalities mastered by several biological species. The photonic films formed by such single CNC@PDA nanorods have brilliant iridescent structural colors originating from selective reflection of circularly polarized lights by the helical organization of CNC@PDAs across the films. Furthermore, the colors of such films have background-independent brightness, high visibility, and metallic effects that arise from the light absorption of the PDA component. Especially, the color ranges and metallic effects of the films can be conveniently tuned by varying the thickness of the PDA shell. In addition, the UV absorption and hygroscopic properties of PDA endow these CNC@PDA films with efficient broadband UV shielding and sensitive humidity-induced dynamic color changes. Due to the mussel-like superior adhesion of PDA, CNC@PDA-based photonic coatings can be formed conformably onto diverse kinds of substrates. A shiny eye shadow with viewing angle-dependent colorful patterns was used to demonstrate the potential applications. With combinations of multiple unique properties in one photonic material fabricated from a single building block, these CNC@PDA-based films are expected to have potential applications in cosmetics, UV protection, anticounterfeiting, chiral reflectors, etc.

Coloration in Supraparticles Assembled from Polyhedral Metal-Organic Framework Particles

Supraparticles are spherical colloidal crystals prepared by confined self‐assembly processes. A particularly appealing property of these microscale structures is the structural color arising from interference of light with their building blocks. Here, we assemble supraparticles with high structural order that exhibit coloration from uniform, polyhedral metal–organic framework (MOF) particles. We analyse the structural coloration as a function of the size of these anisotropic building blocks and their internal structure. We attribute the angle‐dependent coloration of the MOF supraparticles to the presence of ordered, onion‐like layers at the outermost regions. Surprisingly, even though different shapes of the MOF particles have different propensities to form these onion layers, all supraparticle dispersions show well‐visible macroscopic coloration, indicating that local ordering is sufficient to generate interference effects.

Development of Universal and Clickable Film by Mimicking Melanogenesis: On-Demand Oxidation of Tyrosine-Based Azido Derivative by Tyrosinase

In this study, we synthesized a tyrosine-based azido derivative (TBAD) that permits both substrate-independent surface coating and clickable film functionalization by mimicking natural melanogenesis. In contrast to catechol derivatives, which are generally susceptible to oxidation by air under ambient conditions, the monophenol-based TBAD remains stable under alkaline and neutral conditions, and is activated to oxidized quinone in situ by tyrosinase to initiate melanin-like polymerization. The resulting poly(TBAD) film can be formed on various substrates including noble metals, metal oxides, and synthetic polymers, which can undergo click reaction with terminal alkyne moieties on the entire surface or a specific region through Cu(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC). The enzyme-mediated coating can rapidly form thin films (∼10 nm) and produce a uniform film morphology, which are important aspects in surface chemistry. This on-demand, clickable coating may become a significant tool for bioconjugation, soft lithography, and labeling techniques. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Co-Assembly of Colloids and Eumelanin Nanoparticles in Droplets for Structural Pigments with High Saturation

Colloidal crystals have been used to develop structural colors. However, incoherent scattering causes the colors to turn whitish, reducing the color saturation. To overcome the problem, light-absorbing additives have been incorporated. Although various additives have been used, most of them are not compatible with a direct co-assembly with common colloids in aqueous suspensions. Here, the authors suggest eumelanin nanoparticles as a new additive to enhance the color chroma. Eumelanin nanoparticles are synthesized to have diameters of several nanometers by oxidative polymerization of precursors in basic solutions. The nanoparticles carry negative charges and do not weaken the electrostatic repulsion among same-charged polystyrene particles when they are added to aqueous suspensions. To prove the effectiveness of eumelanin as a saturation enhancer, the authors produce photonic balls through direct co-assembly of polystyrene and eumelanin using water-in-oil emulsion droplets, while varying the weight ratio of eumelanin to polystyrene. The high crystallinity of colloidal crystals is preserved for the ratio up to at least 1/50 as the eumelanin does not perturb the crystallization. The eumelanin effectively suppresses incoherent scattering while maintaining the strength of structural resonance at an optimum ratio, improving color chroma without compromising brightness.

A biomimetic enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (BELISA) for the analysis of gonadorelin by using molecularly imprinted polymer-coated microplates

An original biomimetic enzyme-linked immunoassay (BELISA) to target the small peptide hormone gonadorelin is presented. This peptide has been recently listed among the substances banned in sports by the World Antidoping Agency (WADA) since its misuse by male athletes triggers testosterone increase. Hence, in response to this emerging issue in anti-doping controls, we proposed BELISA which involves the growth of a polynorepinephrine (PNE)–based molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) directly on microwells. PNE, a polydopamine (PDA) analog, has recently displayed impressive performances when it was exploited for MIP preparation, giving even better results than PDA. Gonadorelin quantification was accomplished via a colorimetric indirect competitive bioassay involving the competition between biotinylated gonadorelin linked to the signal reporter and the unlabeled analyte. These compete for the same MIP binding sites resulting in an inverse correlation between gonadorelin concentration and the output color signal (λ = 450 nm). A detection limit of 277 pmol L⁻¹ was achieved with very good reproducibility in standard solutions (_avCV% = 4.07%) and in urine samples (_avCV% = 5.24%). The selectivity of the assay resulted adequate for biological specimens and non-specific control peptides. In addition, the analytical figures of merit were successfully validated by mass spectrometry, the reference anti-doping benchtop platform for the analyte. BELISA was aimed to open real perspectives for PNE-based MIPs as alternatives to antibodies, especially when the target analyte is a poorly or non-immunogenic small molecule, such as gonadorelin.

Effect of Substituents in Mussel-inspired Surface Primers on their Oxidation and Priming Efficiency

Marine mussels contain an abundant catechol moiety, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA), in their interfacial foot proteins. DOPA contributes to both surface adhesion and bridging between the surface and overhead proteins (surface priming) by taking advantage of the unique redox properties of catechol. Inspired by the mussel surface priming mechanism, herein we synthesized a series of DOPA-mimetic analogs - a bifunctional group molecule, consisting of a catechol group and an acrylic group at the opposite ends. The surface primers with differently substituted (-COOH, -CH3 ) alkyl chains in the middle spacer were synthesized. Time-dependent oxidation and redox potentials of the surface primers were studied in an oxidizing environment to gain a better understanding of the mussel's redox chemistry. The thickness and degree of priming of the surface primers on silicon-based substrates were analyzed by ellipsometry and UV/Vis absorption spectroscopy. The post-reactivity of the acrylic groups of the primed layer was first visualized through a reaction with an acrylic group-reactive dye.

Sensitive 'two-steps' competitive assay for gonadotropin-releasing hormone detection via SPR biosensing and polynorepinephrine-based molecularly imprinted polymer

The work reports an innovative bioassay for the detection of gonadorelin in urine, a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist widely used in fertility medicine and to treat hormonal dysfunctions. Gonadorelin is also a synthetic hormone listed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and of interest in anti-doping controls. The main novelty relies on the development of a biocompatible, stable, and low-cost biomimetic receptor alternative to classic antibodies. Starting from norepinephrine monomer, a highly selective and sensitive molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was developed and optimized for optical real-time and label-free SPR biosensing. The selectivity has been addressed by testing a series of peptides, from high to low similarity, both in terms of molecular weight and primary sequence. Due to the very low molecular weight of gonadorelin (1182 Da), a 'two-steps' competitive assay was developed. Particular attention has been paid to the design of the competitor and its binding affinity constant towards the MIP, being a key step for the success of the competitive strategy. The SPR assay was first optimized in standard conditions and finally applied to untreated urine samples, achieving the sensitivity required by WADA guidelines. The MIP, tested in parallel with a monoclonal antibody, gave comparable results in terms of affinity constants and selectivity towards possible interfering analytes. However, the biomimetic receptor appears clearly superior in terms of sensitivity and reproducibility. This, together with its preparation simplicity, the extremely low-cost of the monomer and its reusability for hundreds of measurements, make polynorepinephrine-based MIPs powerful rivals to immune-based approaches in the near future for similar applications.

Control of Structural Coloration by Natural Sunlight Irradiation on a Melanin Precursor Polymer Inspired by Skin Tanning

Natural melanin affects the reflection and absorption of light, and it is known as an important element in producing bright structural colors in nature. In this study, we prepared core-shell particles using a melanin precursor polymer, that is, polytyrosine (PTy), as a shell layer by the oxidative polymerization of tyrosine ethyl ester (Ty) in the presence of cerium oxide (CeO₂) core particles. Inspired by skin tanning, irradiating the CeO₂@PTy core-shell particles with UV or natural sunlight caused melanization by extending the π-conjugated length of PTy, producing colloidal particles with the ability to absorb light. The pellet samples consisting of CeO₂@PTy particles appeared whitish because of multiple scattered light. In contrast, the light absorption capacity of CeO₂@PTy UV or CeO₂@PTy Sun particles after light irradiation suppressed scattered light, dramatically improving the visibility of the structural color of the pellet samples made from these particles. Thus, a new method has been developed to control the visualization of structural colors to the human eye by irradiating the melanin precursor polymer with light.

Unraveling the Structure and Function of Melanin through Synthesis

Melanin is ubiquitous in living organisms across different biological kingdoms of life, making it an important, natural biomaterial. Its presence in nature from microorganisms to higher animals and plants is attributed to the many functions of melanin, including pigmentation, radical scavenging, radiation protection, and thermal regulation. Generally, melanin is classified into five types-eumelanin, pheomelanin, neuromelanin, allomelanin, and pyomelanin-based on the various chemical precursors used in their biosynthesis. Despite its long history of study, the exact chemical makeup of melanin remains unclear, and it moreover has an inherent diversity and complexity of chemical structure, likely including many functions and properties that remain to be identified. Synthetic mimics have begun to play a broader role in unraveling structure and function relationships of natural melanins. In the past decade, polydopamine, which has served as the conventional form of synthetic eumelanin, has dominated the literature on melanin-based materials, while the synthetic analogues of other melanins have received far less attention. In this perspective, we will discuss the synthesis of melanin materials with a special focus beyond polydopamine. We will emphasize efforts to elucidate biosynthetic pathways and structural characterization approaches that can be harnessed to interrogate specific structure-function relationships, including electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (ssNMR) spectroscopy. We believe that this timely Perspective will introduce this class of biopolymer to the broader chemistry community, where we hope to stimulate new opportunities in novel, melanin-based poly-functional synthetic materials.

Progress in polydopamine-based melanin mimetic materials for structural color generation

Structural color is a color derived from optical interaction between light and a microstructure and is often seen in nature. Natural melanin plays an important role in bright structural coloration. For example, the vivid colors of peacock feathers are due to structural colors. The periodic arrangement of melanin granules inside the feathers leads to light interference, and the black granules absorb scattered light well, resulting in bright structural color. In recent years, polydopamine (PDA) has attracted attention as a melanin mimetic material. This review article summarizes recent research on structural coloration using PDA-based artificial melanin materials. It also outlines possible applications using bright structural colors realized by artificial melanin materials and future perspectives.

Poly-dopamine, poly-levodopa, and poly-norepinephrine coatings: Comparison of physico-chemical and biological properties with focus on the application for blood-contacting devices

Thanks to its simplicity, versatility, and secondary reactivity, dopamine self-polymerized coatings (pDA) have been widely used in surface modification of biomaterials, but the limitation in secondary molecular grafting and the high roughness restrain their application in some special scenarios. Therefore, some other catecholamine coatings analog to pDA have attracted more and more attention, including the smoother poly-norepinephrine coating (pNE), and the poly-levodopa coating (pLD) containing additional carboxyl groups. However, the lack of a systematic comparison of the properties, especially the biological properties of the above three catecholamine coatings, makes it difficult to give a guiding opinion on the application scenarios of different coatings. Herein, we systematically studied the physical, chemical, and biological properties of the three catecholamine coatings, and explored the feasibility of their application for the modification of biomaterials, especially cardiovascular materials. Among them, the pDA coating was the roughest, with the largest amount of amino and phenolic hydroxyl groups for molecule grafting, and induced the strongest platelet adhesion and activation. The pLD coating was the thinnest and most hydrophilic but triggered the strongest inflammatory response. The pNE coating was the smoothest, with the best hemocompatibility and histocompatibility, and with the strongest cell selectivity of promoting the proliferation of endothelial cells while inhibiting the proliferation of smooth muscle cells. To sum up, the pNE coating may be a better choice for the surface modification of cardiovascular materials, especially those for vascular stents and grafts, but it is still not widely recognized.

Codeposition of Levodopa and Polyethyleneimine: Reaction Mechanism and Coating Construction

Mussel-inspired poly(catecholamine) coatings from polydopamine (PDA) have been widely studied to design functional coatings for various materials. The chemical precursor of dopamine (DA), levodopa (l-DOPA, 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl-l-alanine), is known as the main element of mussel adhesive foot protein, but it is relatively hard to be constructed into a desirable coating on a given material surface under the same conditions as those for DA. Herein, we report a codeposition strategy to achieve the rapid fabrication of mussel-inspired coatings by l-DOPAwith polyethyleneimine (PEI) and to deeply understand the formation mechanism of those aggregates and coatings from l-DOPA/PEI. DFT calculations, fluorescence spectra, nuclear magnetic resonance analysis, and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry identification demonstrate that the formation of l-DOPA/PEI aggregates is effectively accelerated by PEI crosslinking with those intermediates of oxidized l-DOPA, including l-DOPAquinone and 5,6-dihydroxyindole-2-carboxylic acid as well as 5,6-dihydroxyindole, through Michael-addition and Schiff-base reactions. Therefore, we can facilely control the growth rate and the particle size of the l-DOPA/PEI aggregates in the deposition solution by adjusting the concentration of PEI. The coating formation rate of l-DOPA/PEI is four times faster than that of PDA and DA/PEI within 12 h. These l-DOPA/PEI coatings are demonstrated to display potential as structure colors, superhydrophilic surfaces, and antibacterial materials.

Physical and Chemical Factors Influencing the Printability of Hydrogel-based Extrusion Bioinks

Bioprinting researchers agree that "printability" is a key characteristic for bioink development, but neither the meaning of the term nor the best way to experimentally measure it has been established. Furthermore, little is known with respect to the underlying mechanisms which determine a bioink's printability. A thorough understanding of these mechanisms is key to the intentional design of new bioinks. For the purposes of this review, the domain of printability is defined as the bioink requirements which are unique to bioprinting and occur during the printing process. Within this domain, the different aspects of printability and the factors which influence them are reviewed. The extrudability, filament classification, shape fidelity, and printing accuracy of bioinks are examined in detail with respect to their rheological properties, chemical structure, and printing parameters. These relationships are discussed and areas where further research is needed, are identified. This review serves to aid the bioink development process, which will continue to play a major role in the successes and failures of bioprinting, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine going forward.

Effect of the Polydopamine Composite Method on Structural Coloration: Comparison of Binary and Unary Assembly of Colloidal Particles

Melanin influences light reflection and absorption and is known to be one of the elements producing structural color, such as that in the feathers of birds. In this study, we used polydopamine (PDA), an artificial melanin, as a light-absorbing material and examined in detail the effect of its composite method on the structural color. The following two composite methods were investigated using cerium(IV) oxide (CeO₂) particles as a core particle: binary coassembly of CeO₂ and PDA particles and unary assembly of CeO₂@PDA core-shell particles. Although both methods dramatically improved the visibility of the structural color by suppressing the scattered light owing to the light absorption capability of the PDA, there was a difference in the particle arrangement, angle dependence of the structural color, and color tone change. By selecting the PDA composite method, the guidelines for providing high visibility and the desired structural color were presented.

Superhydrophilic Coating with Antibacterial and Oil-Repellent Properties via NaIO4-Triggered Polydopamine/Sulfobetaine Methacrylate Polymerization

Superhydrophilic coatings have been widely used for the surface modification of membranes or biomedical devices owing to their excellent antifouling properties. However, simplifying the modification processes of such materials remains challenging. In this study, we developed a simple and rapid one-step co-deposition process using an oxidant trigger to fabricate superhydrophilic surfaces based on dopamine chemistry with sulfobetaine methacrylate (SBMA). We studied the effect of different oxidants and SBMA concentrations on surface modification in detail using UV-VIS spectrophotometry, dynamic light scattering, atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and surface plasmon resonance. We found that NaIO4 could trigger the rate of polymerization and the optimum ratio of dopamine to SBMA is 1:25 by weight. This makes the surface superhydrophilic (water contact angle < 10°) and antifouling. The superhydrophilic coating, when introduced to polyester membranes, showed great potential for oil/water separation. Our study provides a complete description of the simple and fast preparation of superhydrophilic coatings for surface modification based on mussel-inspired chemistry.

Nature-Inspired Adhesive Catecholamines for Highly Concentrated Colorimetric Signal in Spatial Biomarker Labeling

Colorants have been utilized for precise biomarker detection in rapid and convenient colorimetric bioassays. However, the diffusion of colorants in solution often results in poor sensitivity, which is a major obstacle to the clinical translation of current colorants. To address this issue, in the current study, a unique colorant is developed that possesses adhesiveness for concentration near the target biomarker, avoiding diffusion. In nature, the synergistic interplay between catechol and amine functional groups is thought to be key for the unique mechanism of marine mussel adhesion. In addition, polymerized catecholamines are found in nature as biopigments, that is, in melanin. The dual role of catechol/catecholamine moieties in natural organics inspire to design novel colorimetric bioassays based on an adhesive colorant. Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) is used to initiate in situ polymerization of the catecholic precursors with amine-containing additive molecules and simultaneously attach them near the HRP-labeled biomarkers. This novel catecholamine-based adhesive colorant provides an excellent quantitative (naked-eye) visible signal and it also generates superb spatial information on the biomarkers on complex surfaces (e.g., cell membranes).

Chemoenzymatic elaboration of the Raper-Mason pathway unravels the structural diversity within eumelanin pigments

Melanin is a central polymer in living organisms, yet our understanding of its molecular structure remains unresolved. Here, we apply a biosynthetic approach to explore the composite structures accessible in one type of melanin, eumelanin. Using a combination of solid-state NMR, dynamic nuclear polarization, and electron microscopy, we reveal how a variety of monomers are enzymatically polymerized into their corresponding eumelanin pigments. We demonstrate how this approach can be used to unite structure with an understanding of enzymatic activity, substrate scope, and the regulation of nanostructural features. Overall, this data reveals how intermediate metabolites of the Raper–Mason metabolic pathway contribute to polymerization, allowing us to revisit the original proposal of how eumelanin is biosynthesized.

Melanin is a central polymer in living organisms, yet our understanding of its molecular structure remains unresolved.

Paramagnetism and Relaxation Dynamics in Melanin Biomaterials

Spectroscopical characterization of melanins is a prior requirement for the efficient tailoring of their radical scavenging, ultraviolet-visible radiation absorption, metal chelation, and natural pigment properties. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), exploiting the common persistent paramagnetism of melanins, represents the elective standard for the structural and dynamical characterization of their constituting radical species. Although melanins are mainly investigated using X-band (9.5 GHz) continuous wave (CW)-EPR, an integration with the application of Q-band (34 GHz) in CW and pulse EPR for the discrimination of melanin pigments of different compositions is presented here. The longitudinal relaxation times measured highlight faster relaxation rates for cysteinyldopa melanin, compared to those of the most common dopa melanin pigment, suggesting pulse EPR spin-lattice relaxation time measurements as a complementary tool for characterization of pigments of interest for biomimetic materials engineering.

Rapid and Tunable Method To Fabricate Angle-Independent and Transferable Structurally Colored Films

The assembly of monodisperse particles into colloidal arrays that diffract visible light through constructive interference is of considerable interest due to their resilience against color fading. In particular, noniridescent structurally colored materials are promising as a means of coloration for paints, inks, cosmetics, and displays because their color is angle independent. A rapid and tunable assembly method for producing noniridescent structurally colored colloidal-based materials that are pliable after fabrication is described. Structurally colored particle arrays were fabricated by centrifuging highly charged silica particles suspended in deionized water. By tuning the particle diameter, the colors displayed by the arrays spanned the visible spectrum while retaining angle-independent structural color. The color of centrifuged colloids of a single particle diameter was precisely controlled within 50 nm by modulating the particle concentration. The peak wavelength diffracted by the material was further tuned by altering the centrifugal rate and assembly time. Centrifugation assembly of particles in a polymer solution also produces noniridescent colloidal films, and the control of their color is reported. Together, these results offer design considerations for the centrifugation-based assembly of colloidal films with tunable structural color that are transferable after fabrication and are angle independent.

Positive and negative birefringence in packed films of binary spherical colloidal particles

We have investigated the birefringence in packed films of binary spherical colloidal particles. Particulate films were obtained by drying a mixed suspension of colloidal particles with two different diameters. We observed positive and negative birefringence depending on the diameters and volume ratios of the large and small particles. When the diameters of the large and small particles were similar, the films showed positive birefringence. However, negative birefringence or weakening of positive birefringence was observed in films with a large diameter ratio and an optimal volume fraction of large particles. The large particles were embedded in packed small particles in the negative and weakened positive birefringent films. We propose a packing structure in which a single shell layer of small particles formed around a large particle. Using this model, we estimated the required volume ratio of large particles, and it was in good agreement with the optimal volume fraction. The relation between the packing structure of the binary colloidal particles and the birefringence is discussed.

We have investigated the birefringence in packed films of binary spherical colloidal particles.

Polydopamine as a stable and functional nanomaterial

The mussel inspired chemistry of dopamine leading to versatile coatings on the surface of all kinds of materials in a one pot process was considered as the unique aspect of catecholamine for a long time. Only recently, research has been undertaken to valorize the simultaneous oxidation and colloid formation in dopamine solutions in the presence of an oxidant. This mini review summarizes the synthesis methods allowing to get controlled nanomaterials, either nanoparticles, hollow capsules or nanotubes and even chiral nanomaterials from dopamine solutions. Finally the applications of those nanomaterials will be described.

Bioinspired Production of Noniridescent Structural Colors by Adhesive Melanin-like Particles

Structural color printing of colloidal photonic films with tunable structures or optical properties is of great importance owing to their practical applications. In this article, we present a general method for the fabrication of colloidal particle films with tailored packing geometries by self-assembly of adhesive melanin-like polydopamine (PDA)-coated particles. The adhesion of particles is controlled by varying the thickness of the PDA coating, making it possible for dip coating of colloidal crystals, partly ordered or amorphous colloidal arrays (ACAs) with a tunable degree of order. We further studied the structural color printing of adhesive particles by infiltration-assisted or standard inkjet printing methods. Compared with bare particles, PDA-coated particles not only allow for control over color brightness/angle dependence of the photonic films but also significantly enhance the color quality of ACAs, both of which are useful for display, anticounterfeiting, or sensing applications. Owing to the inherent strong adhesiveness of PDA to virtually all types of surfaces, this PDA-based methodology can be potentially extended to a diverse range of colloidal particles toward the development of photonic devices.

Polynorepinephrine Nanoparticles: A Novel Photothermal Nanoagent for Chemo-Photothermal Cancer Therapy

Novel photothermal nanoagents (PTNAs) with excellent photothermal performance, smart-responsive property, and biocompatibility are in urgent need for precise chemo-photothermal cancer therapy. Herein, polynorepinephrine nanoparticles (PNE NPs) with a high photothermal conversion efficiency (η) of 808 nm laser (67%), pH/thermal responsibility, and little to no long-term toxicity were synthesized from an endogenic neurotransmitter norepinephrine. Compared to their analogues, polydopamine NPs, a widely used PTNA, PNE NPs exhibited a higher η value (enhanced 1.63-fold) and better cellular uptake efficiency (enhanced 2.57-fold). After modifying with polyethylene glycol (PEG) and loading with doxorubicin (DOX), PNE-PEG@DOX could realize responsive release of DOX under either a cytolysosome pH microenvironment (pH 5.0) or an 808 nm laser irradiation, resulting in an enhanced chemotherapeutic efficacy of DOX. Besides, in vivo combination therapy leads to nearly complete ablation of tumor tissues, while no significant side effects were found in normal tissues. Hence, this intelligent and biocompatible nanoplatform based on PNE NPs holds great potential in promoting the clinic transformation of precise chemo-photothermal cancer therapy.

Ellipsoidal Artificial Melanin Particles as Building Blocks for Biomimetic Structural Coloration

Inspired by the structural coloration of anisotropic materials in nature, we demonstrate the preparation of structural color materials by the assembly of anisotropic particles. Spherical artificial melanin particles consisting of a polystyrene core and polydopamine shell were stretched asymmetrically to form uniform-sized ellipsoidal particles with different aspect ratios. The aspect ratio and assembly method of the ellipsoidal particles influence the structural coloration, indicating that the particle shape is one of the important parameters for controlling the structural coloration. The discovery of a method to control the structural color using ellipsoidal particles is useful in basic research on structural colors in nature and provides flexibility in material design and extends the application range of structural color materials.

Poly(norepinephrine)-coated FeOOH nanoparticles as carriers of artemisinin for cancer photothermal-chemical combination therapy

The photothermal-chemical combination therapy is a promising approach for cancer treatment, however, chemotherapy often causes severe toxic and side effects on normal tissues. Herein, tumor-specific FeOOH@PNE-Art nanoparticles were fabricated via coating poly(norepinephrine) (PNE) on FeOOH nanoparticles, followed by loading of artemisinin (Art). The as-prepared nanoparticles exhibited excellent biocompatibility, strong near-infrared (NIR) absorbance and pH-responsive synchronous release of Art and iron ions. The released iron ions could not only supply iron ions in cancer cells which mediate endoperoxide bridge cleavage of Art and generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), but also react with H₂O₂ at tumour sites via the Fenton reaction and produce hydroxyl radicals, inducing a tumour-specific killing. Moreover, owing to the synchronous release of Art and iron ions as well as the low leakage of iron ions, FeOOH@PNE-Art nanoparticles showed extremely low toxicity to normal tissue. Under NIR light irradiation, the tumours in FeOOH@PNE-Art injected mice were thoroughly eliminated after 7 days of treatment and no tumour recurrence was found 30 days after treatment, manifesting very high efficacy of combination therapy.

Tumor-specific FeOOH@PNE-Art nanoparticles were fabricated that showed high efficacy of photothermal-chemical combination therapy and low toxicity to normal tissue.