Self-assembling peptides (SAPs) are short, synthetically designed amino acid sequences that spontaneously organize into ordered nanostructures—such as fibers, ribbons, hydrogels, or tubes—under physiological or tunable conditions. These assemblies are stabilized by non-covalent forces including hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic interactions, electrostatic attraction, and π-π stacking. By modifying sequence design and external stimuli, SAPs enable precise structural control and functional customization.
Thanks to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and ability to mimic the extracellular matrix, SAPs are increasingly utilized in:
- 3D tissue engineering scaffolds
- Injectable drug and gene delivery systems
- In situ forming hydrogels
- Enzyme-mimetic catalytic systems
- Cancer therapy and nanomedicine
- Peptide-based vaccine platforms
Advanced Molecular Designs and Biomedical Versatility
Self-assembling peptides are highly tunable and structurally diverse, ranging from ionic-complementary and amphiphilic sequences to Fmoc- or aromatic-modified hybrids. Each design enables distinct physical properties and biological functions:
- Hydrogels for regenerative medicine – Peptides like KLD-12, RAD16-I, and MAX8 form β-sheet nanofibers that support cell encapsulation, proliferation, and differentiation.
- Catalytic nanofibers – Sequences such as Ac-IHIHIQI-NH2 and Ac-IHIHIYI-NH2 exhibit esterase- or laccase-mimicking activity within ordered fibril networks.
- Immunogenic scaffolds – Peptides like Q11 can display antigenic epitopes, making them ideal for developing self-adjuvanting peptide vaccines.
- Targeted therapeutics – Novel constructs like NDI-Lyso demonstrate enzyme-triggered self-assembly inside cancer cell lysosomes, resulting in selective anticancer activity.
Featured Self-Assembling Peptides
| Catalog Number | CAS Number | Product Name | Description |
| ALCM800379479 | 800379-47-9 | KLD-12 | A 12-residue peptide that forms β-sheet-rich hydrogels; promotes cartilage repair and chondrogenic differentiation of bone marrow stromal cells. |
| ALCM593266605 | 593266-60-5 | Oligopeptide P11-4 | A synthetic α-peptide that assembles into β-sheet nanofibers under acidic conditions; widely applied in enamel regeneration and biomimetic mineralization. |
| ALCM1582727852 | 1582727-85-2 | Ac-IHIHIQI-NH2 | A heptapeptide forming fibrillar assemblies with catalytic activity toward p-nitrophenyl esters; used in laccase-mimicking systems. |
| ALCM2100275496 | 2100275-49-6 | RAD16-I hydrochloride | A classic ionic-complementary peptide forming nanofibrous hydrogels; provides a favorable microenvironment for MSC proliferation and chondrogenesis. |
| ALCM1426415022 | 1426415-02-2 | IEIK 13 | A self-assembling β-sheet peptide useful in cartilage tissue engineering and regenerative scaffold research. |
| ALCM2156606618 | 2156606-61-8 | Ac-IHIHIYI-NH2 | A hydrophobic heptapeptide that forms well-defined fibrils with enhanced esterase-like catalytic behavior. |
| ALCM944792750 | 944792-75-0 | MAX8 | A 20-residue peptide that folds and assembles into rigid hydrogels in DMEM; enables homogeneous cell encapsulation during in situ gelation. |
| ALCM1588764537 | 1588764-53-7 | Ac-ILVAGK-NH2 | Amphiphilic peptide with reversible gelation behavior; forms nanofibrils in aqueous environments. |
| ALCM2999646192 | 2999646-19-2 | NDI-Lyso | A lysosome-targeting anticancer agent that undergoes enzyme-instructed self-assembly (EISA), leading to selective apoptosis of cancer cells with low toxicity. |
| ALCM581799395 | 581799-39-5 | Q11 peptide | A β-sheet-forming peptide scaffold capable of epitope display; used in the design of adjuvant-free peptide-based immunotherapies. |
| ALCM292605664 | 292605-66-4 | SAF-p2 | Assembles into heterodimeric fibers with SAF-p1 via complementary sequences; applied in programmable nanomaterial construction. |
| ALCM1242159030 | 1242159-03-0 | Nap-GFFY | An aromatic-modified peptide that self-assembles into nanofibers through π–π stacking; suitable for supramolecular hydrogel systems. |
| ALCM1421688610 | 1421688-61-0 | PTZ-GFFY | A phenothiazine-conjugated peptide offering potential in responsive nanomaterial design due to its photoactive moiety. |
*To explore our complete catalog of self-assembling peptides, please view the full Product List.
Your Reliable Partner for Peptide-Based Materials
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