Bioadhesion

Bioadhesion refers to the ability of a material (often a polymer, either natural or synthetic) to adhere to biological tissue via a variety of physicochemical mechanisms, including hydrogen bonding, electrostatic interactions, chain entanglement, mechanical interlocking, and macromolecular interpenetration[1][2][5][6][9]. The process can be subdivided by context: - *Type 1:* Adhesion between two biological substrates (e.g., cell-cell aggregation) - *Type 2:* Biological component adheres to an artificial substrate (e.g., cell culture plastics) - *Type 3:* Artificial material adheres to biological substrate (e.g., hydrogel or tissue glue on skin or mucosa)[1][2][5] Bioadhesion is especially important in drug delivery, where it enables formulations such as buccal, nasal, or ocular drug systems to remain in contact with tissue for extended durations[2]. It is not itself a protein, gene, or receptor, but a property arising from the interaction between materials and living surfaces[1][4][5][9].

Other names

Bioadhesivebiological adhesionmucoadhesion (when referencing mucus membranes)