Santhamoorthy Madhappan, Kim Seong-Cheol
School of Chemical Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 38541, Gyeongbuk, Republic of Korea.
Gels. 2025 Mar 1;11(3):178. doi: 10.3390/gels11030178.
Biopolymer hydrogel-based scaffold materials have received a lot of interest in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine because of their unique characteristics, which include biocompatibility, biodegradability, and the ability to replicate the natural extracellular matrix (ECM). These hydrogels are three-dimensional biopolymer networks that are highly hydrated and provide a supportive, wet environment conducive to cell growth, migration, and differentiation. They are especially useful in applications involving wound healing, cartilage, bone, and soft tissue regeneration. Natural biopolymers such as collagen, chitosan, hyaluronic acid, and alginate are frequently employed as the foundation for hydrogel fabrication, providing benefits such as low toxicity and improved cell adherence. Despite their potential, biopolymer hydrogel scaffolds have various difficulties that prevent broad clinical implementation. Key difficulties include the challenge of balancing mechanical strength and flexibility to meet the needs of various tissues, managing degradation rates to line up with tissue regeneration, and assuring large-scale manufacturing while retaining scaffold uniformity and quality. Furthermore, fostering appropriate vascularization and cell infiltration in larger tissues remains a significant challenge for optimal tissue integration and function. Future developments in biopolymer hydrogel-based scaffolds are likely to concentrate on addressing these obstacles. Strategies such as the creation of hybrid hydrogels that combine natural and synthetic materials, smart hydrogels with stimulus-responsive features, and 3D bioprinting technologies for accurate scaffold production show significant potential. Furthermore, integrating bioactive compounds and growth factors into hydrogel matrices to promote tissue regeneration is critical for enhancing therapeutic results.
基于生物聚合物水凝胶的支架材料因其独特特性，在组织工程和再生医学领域备受关注，这些特性包括生物相容性、生物可降解性以及复制天然细胞外基质（ECM）的能力。这些水凝胶是高度水合的三维生物聚合物网络，提供有利于细胞生长、迁移和分化的支持性湿润环境。它们在涉及伤口愈合、软骨、骨骼和软组织再生的应用中特别有用。天然生物聚合物如胶原蛋白、壳聚糖、透明质酸和藻酸盐经常被用作水凝胶制造的基础，具有低毒性和改善细胞粘附等优点。尽管具有潜力，但生物聚合物水凝胶支架存在各种困难，阻碍了其广泛的临床应用。关键困难包括平衡机械强度和柔韧性以满足各种组织需求的挑战、控制降解速率以与组织再生同步、以及在确保大规模制造的同时保持支架的均匀性和质量。此外，在较大组织中促进适当的血管化和细胞浸润仍然是实现最佳组织整合和功能的重大挑战。基于生物聚合物水凝胶的支架的未来发展可能集中在解决这些障碍上。诸如创建结合天然和合成材料的混合水凝胶、具有刺激响应特性的智能水凝胶以及用于精确制造支架的3D生物打印技术等策略显示出巨大潜力。此外，将生物活性化合物和生长因子整合到水凝胶基质中以促进组织再生对于提高治疗效果至关重要。
