Surface biofunctionalised porous materials: advances, challenges, and future prospects

Abstract

This review highlights the transformative potential of three-dimensional (3D) porous materials in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, focusing on the critical role of surface biofunctionalisation in modulating cell-material interactions. Surface biofunctionalisation, through biomolecule and hydrogel incorporation, enhances cellular adhesion, growth, and differentiation by providing essential biochemical and mechanical cues. However, achieving effective biofunctionalisation within the intricate, tissue-mimicking architectures of porous materials remains a significant challenge. The complex architectures often hinder uniform exposure to reaction media, i.e. liquids, gases, or plasma, thereby limiting the scalability and efficiency of existing methods. This review uncovers state-of-the-art strategies, elucidates the underlying mechanisms of surface biofunctionalisation, and identifies key challenges, including achieving uniform coverage, maintaining bioactivity, and enabling spatial control of biomolecule distribution. We identify that solvent-free approaches will drive the advancement of scalable surface biofunctionalisation for industrial and clinical applications, while novel surface treatment methods using biorthogonal click/cleavage chemistry or stimuli-responsive materials enable selective, efficient, and precise functionalisation processes. By synthesising recent advancements, we provide a forward-looking perspective on the future of surface biofunctionalisation, proposing directions to advance scalable, sustainable, and precision biomolecule immobilisation on porous materials. These insights aim to facilitate the development of biofunctional interfaces for next-generation tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications.