PEG-Based Photocurable Bioinks: Architecture, Functionalisation, Mesh Size, Bioinertness and Bioactive Modification

Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-based photocurable systems provide unusually direct control over macromer architecture, crosslink density and network chemistry, making them valuable reference materials for mechanistic biofabrication. Their reproducibility also exposes a central limitation: an unmodified PEG network is comparatively bioinert and does not automatically provide cell-adhesive or degradable cues. This review examines PEG diacrylate, PEG methacrylate and multifunctional thiol-ene/norbornene architectures as engineering platforms rather than as a single material class. It links molecular weight, functionality and concentration to mesh size, swelling, transport and stiffness, then separates these physical variables from deliberate biological modification using peptides, proteins or degradable linkers. The review also treats light dose and conversion as part of the network state. The resulting qualification framework is intended to distinguish reproducible synthetic control from apparent biological performance that actually arises from added ligands, copolymers or degradable crosslinks.

ER-323 · Version 0.5.