Phloroglucinol-based biomimetic adhesives for medical applications.

An adhesive that functions well under moist conditions could facilitate many surgical procedures. In recent studies we designed novel biomimetic glues which mimic the adhesion mechanism of algae, renowned for their remarkable adherence to wet surfaces. Here we extend our previous studies and propose biomimetic formulations, composed of alginate gel and native phloroglucinol, that do not induce cell cytotoxicity. Characterization of the adherence to tissues showed that adhesion was directly related to the mechanical strength of the cross-linked alginate. Therefore the adhesion strength can be altered by changing the source of the calcium cross-linker, the alginate G-content or the molecular weight of the alginate. The adhesion strength was comparable to that of Tisseel, a commercial tissue adhesive.