# Recent Progress and Morphological Distribution of Polydopamine-Based Biomaterials and Their Applications

**Authors:** Zoobia Bashir, Mahroza Kanwal Khan, Xueli Zhang

PMC · DOI: 10.3390/gels12030187 · Gels · 2026-02-24

## TL;DR

This review explores how polydopamine-based materials are being developed for biomedical uses like drug delivery and tissue engineering.

## Contribution

The paper provides a comprehensive overview of recent advancements and challenges in polydopamine-based biomaterials.

## Key findings

- Polydopamine composites are effective in drug delivery, tissue engineering, and cancer treatment.
- PDA's functional coatings and bonding properties enhance therapeutic applications.
- Challenges include structural stability, toxicity, and scaling up production.

## Abstract

Polydopamine (PDA) is a bioinspired polymer known for its strong adhesiveness, biocompatibility, and functional properties, making it highly useful in biomedical applications. This review highlights recent progress in PDA-based biomaterials, with a focus on their morphology, synthesis techniques, and various biomedical uses. It examines how PDA composites, which are formed at the nanoscale and macroscale levels, contribute to drug delivery, tissue engineering, wound healing, and cancer treatment. The ability of PDA to create stable, functional coatings and composites that bond well with different biomaterials enhances its therapeutic potential. This review also discusses challenges such as structural stability, toxicity, and production scale. Additionally, it covers different polymerization mechanisms and their implications for future clinical use. With ongoing advancements, PDA-based materials hold great promise for personalized medicine, including targeted drug delivery, photothermal therapy, and tissue regeneration. Overall, this overview emphasizes the vital role of PDA in the progression of biomedical technology and its potential for future applications.

## Full-text entities

- **Genes:** PDCD1 (programmed cell death 1) [NCBI Gene 5133] {aka ADMIO4, AIMTBS, CD279, PD-1, PD1, SLEB2}, CILK1 (ciliogenesis associated kinase 1) [NCBI Gene 22858] {aka CED6, ECO, EJM10, ICK, LCK2, MRK}, PTGS2 (prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2) [NCBI Gene 5743] {aka COX-2, COX2, GRIPGHS, PGG/HS, PGHS-2, PHS-2}, PRKAR1A (protein kinase cAMP-dependent type I regulatory subunit alpha) [NCBI Gene 5573] {aka ACRDYS1, ADOHR, CAR, CNC, CNC1, PKR1}, YAP1 (Yes1 associated transcriptional regulator) [NCBI Gene 10413] {aka COB1, YAP, YAP-1, YAP2, YAP65, YKI}, UOX (urate oxidase (pseudogene)) [NCBI Gene 391051] {aka UOXP, URICASE}, ZHX2 (zinc fingers and homeoboxes 2) [NCBI Gene 22882] {aka AFR1, RAF}, BRAF (B-Raf proto-oncogene, serine/threonine kinase) [NCBI Gene 673] {aka B-RAF1, B-raf, BRAF-1, BRAF1, NS7, RAFB1}, GPX4 (glutathione peroxidase 4) [NCBI Gene 2879] {aka GPx-4, GSHPx-4, MCSP, PHGPx, SMDS, snGPx}, MIR146A (microRNA 146a) [NCBI Gene 406938] {aka MIRN146, MIRN146A, miR-146a, miRNA146A}, CD274 (CD274 molecule) [NCBI Gene 29126] {aka ADMIO5, B7-H, B7H1, PD-L1, PDCD1L1, PDCD1LG1}, COX2 (cytochrome c oxidase subunit II) [NCBI Gene 4513] {aka COII, MTCO2}
- **Diseases:** hypoxia (MESH:D000860), PDA@CaP. (MESH:C579969), Parkinsonian symptoms (MESH:D010302), Cancer (MESH:D009369), autoimmune diseases (MESH:D001327), Inflammatory (MESH:D007249), burn (MESH:D002056), hyperthermia (MESH:D005334), gouty arthritis (MESH:D015210), bone defect (MESH:D001847), bacterial infections (MESH:D001424), infarct (MESH:D007238), IBD (MESH:D015212), skin tumor (MESH:D012878), ischemic stroke (MESH:D002544), injury to (MESH:D014947), optic nerve injury (MESH:D020221), infections (MESH:D007239), fibrosarcoma (MESH:D005354), Atherosclerosis (MESH:D050197), mitochondrial dysfunction (MESH:D028361), CRC (MESH:D015179), pancreatic cancer (MESH:D010190), RA (MESH:D001172), cytotoxicity (MESH:D064420), cardiovascular diseases (MESH:D002318), Parkinson's disease (MESH:D010300), neuroinflammation (MESH:D000090862), HCC (MESH:D006528)
- **Chemicals:** catechin gallate (MESH:C417939), dichloromethane (MESH:D008752), H2O2 (MESH:D006861), acetylcholine (MESH:D000109), fullerene (MESH:D037741), PEG (MESH:D011092), MB (MESH:D008751), Phenol (MESH:D019800), BEZ235 (MESH:C531198), minocycline (MESH:D008911), 3,4-dihydroxyphenylethanol (MESH:C005975), 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene (MESH:C010219), dopamine quinones (MESH:C104705), hydroxyl (MESH:D017665), FA- (MESH:D005492), ROS (MESH:D017382), carboxymethyl chitosan (MESH:C514968), urate (MESH:D014527), GW4869 (MESH:C468773), PDA (MESH:C568283), MnO2 (MESH:C016552), desipramine (MESH:D003891), P (MESH:D010758), water (MESH:D014867), silica (MESH:D012822), DA (MESH:D004298), ascorbyl palmitate (MESH:C031226), L-DOPA (MESH:D007980), dextran (MESH:D003911), Cu2O (MESH:C000520), eugenol (MESH:D005054), N (MESH:D009584), saline (MESH:D012965), CuS (MESH:C017846), tyrosine (MESH:D014443), DMOG (MESH:C040947), Que (MESH:D011794), polypyrrole (MESH:C067635), Catechols (MESH:D002396), Cu (MESH:D003300), CPT (MESH:D002166), oligonucleotides (MESH:D009841), cellulose (MESH:D002482), alginate (MESH:D000464), CQ (MESH:D002738), MnFe2O4 (MESH:C551151), metal (MESH:D008670), polyphenols (MESH:D059808), pyrrole-2,3-dicarboxylic acid (MESH:C093674), Na2S2O8 (MESH:C024625), TOB (MESH:D014031), Catechol (MESH:C034221), amine (MESH:D000588), Ce6 (MESH:C062985), Ti (MESH:D014025), AA (MESH:D001205), quinones (MESH:D011809), T (MESH:D014316), C (MESH:D002244), Rapa (MESH:D020123)
- **Species:** Helicobacter pylori (species) [taxon 210], Saccharomyces cerevisiae (baker's yeast, species) [taxon 4932], Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606]
- **Cell lines:** SH-SY5Y — Homo sapiens (Human), Neuroblastoma, Cancer cell line (CVCL_0019), C2C12 — Mus musculus (Mouse), Spontaneously immortalized cell line (CVCL_0188)

## Full text

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## Figures

5 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC13024772/full.md

## References

231 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC13024772/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC13024772