Progress in injectable hydrogels for hard tissue regeneration in the last decade

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Bone disorders are increasing with human lifespan, necessitating advanced treatments beyond traditional bone grafting.
• Current methods like autograft and allograft have adverse effects and require surgery.
• Injectable hydrogels present a minimally invasive, less painful alternative for hard tissue engineering.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the capabilities of injectable hydrogels in hard tissue regeneration over the past decade.
• To explore their adaptable physical and chemical properties for mimicking cellular environments.
• To assess their potential for filling irregular defect sites and controlled release of therapeutic agents.

Main Methods:

• Review of recent scientific literature (last decade) on injectable hydrogels for hard tissue regeneration.
• Analysis of hydrogel formation via chemical crosslinking (click chemistry, Michael addition, Schiff base, enzymatic) and physical interactions.
• Evaluation of hydrogel properties including water absorption, stimuli-responsiveness, and drug/hormone delivery.

Main Results:

• Injectable hydrogels demonstrate significant potential in hard tissue regeneration.
• Their tunable properties allow for mimicking the native extracellular matrix.
• They can effectively fill irregular bone defects and serve as carriers for growth factors or drugs.

Conclusions:

• Injectable hydrogels represent a promising new paradigm in hard tissue engineering.
• Their minimally invasive nature and versatile functionalities address limitations of traditional bone grafting.
• Further research into stimuli-responsive and drug-eluting hydrogels will advance regenerative therapies.