Reinforced Granular Hydrogels Scaffolds with Tunable Physicochemical Properties for Advanced Skin Tissue Engineering.
Jing Zhang1, Yijia Wang1, Yue Liu1
1State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, 30 Puzhu South Road, Nanjing, 211816, P. R. China.
Summary
Engineered granular hydrogel (GH) scaffolds mimic reinforced concrete for enhanced mechanical strength and cell support in tissue engineering. This novel biomaterial facilitates engineered skin tissue formation and shows promise for regenerative medicine applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Tissue Engineering
- Regenerative Medicine
Background:
- Designing bioscaffolds with both mechanical strength and cellular support is a significant challenge in tissue engineering.
- Existing scaffolds often compromise cell infiltration and nutrient exchange for structural integrity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop reinforced concrete-inspired granular hydrogel (GH) scaffolds with tunable properties.
- To create a versatile platform for engineering complex cellular structures and tissues.
Main Methods:
- Synthesized GH building blocks using a binary macromonomer system (hyperbranched polyethylene glycol and thiolated gelatin) in microfluidic droplets.
- Utilized microdroplet templating and molecular interface assembly for customizable scaffold properties.
- Fabricated full-thickness engineered skin tissues to demonstrate scaffold functionality.
Main Results:
- Achieved GH scaffolds with high mechanical strength and enhanced cell infiltration capabilities.
- Successfully engineered skin tissues with mature epidermis, keratinocyte differentiation, and minimal contraction.
- Demonstrated expression of key epidermal markers (keratin 10 and keratin 14).
Conclusions:
- The reinforced concrete-inspired GH scaffolds offer a promising solution for tissue engineering challenges.
- The platform provides biocompatibility, tunable mechanics, and surface functionalization for diverse applications.
- These GH scaffolds show significant potential in tissue engineering, drug delivery, and bioprinting.
