An Injectable Self-Healing Multifluorescent Hydrogel Formed by Engineered Coiled-Coil Polypeptide and Quantum Dots

An injectable and self-healing multifluorescent hydrogel system based on engineered coiled-coil polypeptide and CdSe@ZnS quantum dots (QDs) is developed. The mechanical properties of the PC(10)A-QD hydrogel are able to be tuned by changing the concentrations of PC(10)A and QDs. The G of PC(10)A hydrogel increases from 800 to 1000Pa by doping 6nm oil-soluble CdSe@ZnS QDs. The PC(10)A-QD hydrogel can easily pass through a 26-gauge needle without clogging. In addition, through interfacial assembly of PC(10)A polypeptide on the surface of the PC(10)A-QD hydrogel, each of these hydrogel can self-assemble into a multifluorescent hydrogel. This approach for preparation of injectable self-healing multifluorescent hydrogels is expected to apply in biomedicine.