Hydrogels from Wharton's jelly as alternative to conventional extracellular matrix-based constructs

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine
• Tissue Engineering

Background:

• Extracellular matrix (ECM)-based hydrogels are crucial for regenerative medicine.
• Current gold standards, like rat tail tendon ECM (RT-ECM), have limitations for clinical translation.
• A need exists for bioactive, sustainable, and clinically relevant ECM alternatives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize hydrogels derived from decellularized human Wharton's jelly (WJ-ECM).
• To evaluate WJ-ECM hydrogels as a bioactive and sustainable alternative to animal-derived ECM.
• To assess the functional properties and biocompatibility of WJ-ECM hydrogels for regenerative medicine and cell culture.

Main Methods:

• Decellularization of human Wharton's jelly to obtain WJ-ECM.
• Hydrogel formation and characterization (biochemical composition, fibril morphology, syneresis, rheology, compression).
• In vitro functional assays (hemostasis, reactive oxygen species in neutrophils, macrophage phenotype) and in vivo biocompatibility testing.

Main Results:

• WJ-ECM hydrogels possess a distinct composition (collagen I/III, GAGs) and thinner fibrils compared to RT-ECM.
• WJ-ECM hydrogels exhibit reduced syneresis, lower stiffness, and decreased permeability.
• Superior hemostatic properties, reduced neutrophil ROS, promotion of anti-inflammatory macrophage phenotype, and excellent in vivo biocompatibility were observed.

Conclusions:

• WJ-ECM hydrogels represent a promising, clinically relevant biomaterial.
• These hydrogels offer a sustainable and bioactive alternative for regenerative medicine and cell culture.
• The findings support the potential translation of WJ-ECM hydrogels for therapeutic applications.