Chemical strategies and biomedical applications of DNA hydrogels

Abstract

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a digital polymer that, in addition to being the carrier of genetic information in biological systems, can also act as building blocks for the fabrication of nanostructures. In accordance with the rapid development of DNA synthesis technologies, DNA has also been utilized as a fantastic type of brick for the construction of sophisticated supramolecular materials, especially DNA hydrogels. Due to its favorable biocompatibility and designable responsiveness, there have been emerging efforts to demonstrate the application of DNA hydrogels in biomedicine, with encouraging results. Here, we highlight the recent advances of chemical strategies and biomedical applications of DNA hydrogels.