Bioactive materials for sweat gland regeneration.

Loss of sweat glands (SwGs) commonly associated with extensive skin defects is a leading cause of hyperthermia and heat stroke. tissue engineering possesses the potential to take use of the body natural ability to regenerate SwGs, making it more conducive to clinical translation. Despite recent advances in regenerative medicine, reconstructing SwG tissue with the same structure and function as native tissue remains challenging. Elucidating the SwG generation mechanism and developing biomaterials for tissue engineering is essential for understanding and developing SwG regenerative strategies. Here, we outline the cell biology associated with functional wound healing and the characteristics of bioactive materials. We critically summarize the recent progress in bioactive material-based cell modulation approaches for SwG regeneration, including the recruitment of endogenous cells to the skin lesion for SwG regeneration and cellular reprogramming for SwG regeneration. We discussed the re-establishment of microenvironment via bioactive material-mediated regulators. Besides, we offer promising perspectives for directing SwG regeneration via bioactive material-based cell-free strategy, which is a simple and effective approach to regenerate SwG tissue with both fidelity of structure and function. Finally, we discuss the opportunities and challenges of SwG regeneration in detail. The molecular mechanisms and cell fate modulation of SwG regeneration will provide further insights into the regeneration of patient-specific SwGs and the development of potential intervention strategies for gland-derived diseases.