Table 5.
Mechanical properties of ELP-based polymer networks compared to natural polymers and native tissues.
| Polymer | Cross-linker | Monomer MW (kDa) | Concentration (mg/ml) | Tensile modulus (kPa) | Dynamic shear modulus (kPa) | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELP | None (coacervate) | 36 | 324 | - | 0.08 | [194] |
| ELP | tTG | 47.1 | 100 | - | 0.26 | [148] |
| ELP | DSS | 37.1 | N/A | 350-970 | 120-320 | [150] |
| ELP fusion polypeptide | BS3 | 37.1 | 200-400 | 80-700 | 22-60 | [150] |
| ELP | TSAT | 42.7, 47.1 | 180 | - | 8-10 | [153] |
| ELP | THPP | 31, 28.3 | 200 | - | 5.8-45.8 | [151] |
| ELP fusion polypeptide | HMDI | 14-59 | 100 | 400-930 | - | [207] |
| ELP | γ-irradiation | 15-50 | 500 | - | 10-200 | [146] |
| ELP | Genipin | 10 | 10 | 1800 | - | [278] |
| ELP | PQQ | 10 | 10 | 400 | - | [279] |
| Nucleus pulposus | Enzymatic / in vivo | - | - | - | 11 | [280] |
| Articular cartilage | Enzymatic / in vivo | - | - | - | 440 | [281] |
| Ligament elastin | Enzymatic / in vivo | - | - | 1100 | - | [282] |
| Aortic elastin | Enzymatic / in vivo | - | - | 810 | - | [283] |
ELP, elastin-like polypeptide; tTG, tissue transglutaminase; DSS; BS3, bis(sulfosuccinimidyl) suberate; TSAT, tris-succinimidyl aminotriacetate; THPP, β-[tris(hydroxymethyl)phosphine]-propionic acid; HDMI, hexamethylene diisocynate; PQQ, pyrroloquinoline quinone.