ABSTRACT
Molecular self-assembly is the spontaneous, yet controlled, formation of molecules into ordered nanoscale structures by various weak molecular interactions, such as hydrophobic interaction, electrostatic interaction, hydrogen bonds and p–p stacking. This chapter reviews and discusses the self-assembly of peptide amphiphiles (PAs); applications of PAs in a variety of fields including drug delivery, regenerative medicine, and antibacterial agents; and the overall future of these self-assembling PAs in medicine. The self-aggregation of the fatty acid chains is considered to be the driving force for PA self-assembly. Apart from the hydrophobic interactions, intermolecular hydrogen bonds between peptides also participate in the self-assembly process and govern supramolecular morphologies. Many self-assembling amphiphilic peptides have been developed to include diverse tumor-targeting moieties and conformations. Peptide sequences that represent bioactive signals can be displayed on the self-assembled structures and direct cells to exhibit specific biological functions.
