Polysaccharide hydrogels for skin wound healing

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Polysaccharide materials offer stability, biocompatibility, and repeatability for biomedical applications.
• Natural polysaccharide hydrogels are increasingly utilized in tissue engineering for diverse clinical needs.
• Applications include wound healing, bone regeneration, cartilage repair, and arthritis treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the biomedical applications of natural polysaccharide hydrogels and their derivatives.
• To discuss advancements in fabrication, physicochemical properties, and applications of polysaccharide-based hydrogels.
• To explore processing techniques and wound-healing functionalities of these hydrogels.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on polysaccharide hydrogels.
• Analysis of fabrication techniques including electrospinning, microneedles, microspheres, and nanogels.
• Examination of physicochemical properties and biomedical performance.

Main Results:

• Polysaccharide hydrogels (chitosan, hyaluronic acid, alginate, cellulose) demonstrate significant potential in tissue engineering.
• Various processing techniques yield diverse forms like nanofibers and nanogels.
• Hydrogels exhibit hemostatic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and pro-angiogenic effects relevant to wound healing.

Conclusions:

• Polysaccharide hydrogels are versatile biomaterials for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
• Further research is needed to overcome challenges and fully realize their therapeutic potential.
• The field holds promising prospects for developing advanced wound healing and regenerative therapies.