Naturally Inspired Tree-Ring Structured Dressing Provides Sustained Wound Tightening and Accelerates Closure
Honggui Chen1, Rui Zhang1, Guo Zhang1
1State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Key Lab of Biomedical Materials of Natural Macromolecules (Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Ministry of Education), Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China.
Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
|November 13, 2024
Summary
This study introduces a novel hydrogel wound dressing with a core-ring structure. This mechanically modulated dressing promotes wound healing by applying controlled contraction and resisting swelling, improving epidermal closure and tissue regeneration.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Regenerative Medicine
- Wound Healing Technologies
Background:
- Mechanically regulated wound dressings need balanced contraction and adhesion, but swelling often impairs function.
- Existing dressings struggle to manage exudate-induced swelling while maintaining mechanical properties for effective wound healing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and prepare a core-ring structured hydrogel dressing capable of mechanical modulation for enhanced wound healing.
- To address the limitations of current wound dressings by preventing swelling-induced functional impairment and promoting wound self-contraction.
Main Methods:
- A two-step photopolymerization process was used to create a hydrogel with a distinct core and ring structure.
- The core was designed to contract spontaneously at body temperature (3.4 kPa) and resist swelling, while the ring adhered to surrounding skin and transferred contraction stress.
Main Results:
- The core-ring hydrogel dressing effectively promoted wound healing in murine and porcine models.
- Accelerated epidermal closure (50% in mouse skin by day 2, 85% in pig skin by day 8), enhanced collagen deposition, vascular maturation, and ECM remodeling were observed.
Conclusions:
- The designed hydrogel dressing achieves effective wound traction and avoids swelling, demonstrating significant potential for wound healing applications.
- This mechanically modulated dressing offers a promising strategy for clinical translation in advanced wound care.
