Injectable hydrogels: An emerging therapeutic strategy for cartilage regeneration.

Atwal, Arjan; Dale, Tina P; Snow, Martyn; Forsyth, Nicholas R; Davoodi, Pooya

Abstract

The impairment of articular cartilage due to traumatic incidents or osteoarthritis has posed significant challenges for healthcare practitioners, researchers, and individuals suffering from these conditions. Due to the absence of an approved treatment strategy for the complete restoration of cartilage defects to their native state, the tissue condition often deteriorates over time, leading to osteoarthritic (OA). However, recent advancements in the field of regenerative medicine have unveiled promising prospects through the utilization of injectable hydrogels. This versatile class of biomaterials, characterized by their ability to emulate the characteristics of native articular cartilage, offers the distinct advantage of minimally invasive administration directly to the site of damage. These hydrogels can also serve as ideal delivery vehicles for a diverse range of bioactive agents, including growth factors, anti-inflammatory drugs, steroids, and cells. The controlled release of such biologically active molecules from hydrogel scaffolds can accelerate cartilage healing, stimulate chondrogenesis, and modulate the inflammatory microenvironment to halt osteoarthritic progression. The present review aims to describe the methods used to design injectable hydrogels, expound upon their applications as delivery vehicles of biologically active molecules, and provide an update on recent advances in leveraging these delivery systems to foster articular cartilage regeneration. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.]

Citation

Atwal, A., Dale, T. P., Snow, M., Forsyth, N. R., & Davoodi, P. (2023). Injectable hydrogels: An emerging therapeutic strategy for cartilage regeneration. Advances in colloid and interface science, 321, Article 103030. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cis.2023.103030

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Oct 19, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Oct 20, 2023
• Publication Date: 2023-11
• Deposit Date: Nov 20, 2023
• Journal: Advances in colloid and interface science
• Print ISSN: 0001-8686
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 321
• Article Number: 103030
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cis.2023.103030
• Keywords: Regeneration, Regenerative Medicine, Cartilage tissue regeneration, Cartilage, Articular, Hydrogels, Humans, Drug delivery, Osteoarthritis, Cartilage injuries, Injectable hydrogels, Tissue Engineering - methods, Chondrogenesis