A composite jellyfish collagen hydrogel with skin-matched modulus enables programmed and high-quality wound healing

Jellyfish collagen (Coll) is a natural aquatic collagen with superior bioactivity and biocompatibility, demonstrating great potential in promoting high quality tissue repair. This study incorporated the Coll into chitosan/beta-glycerophosphate (βCS) for the first time, preparing a novel composite hydrogel (Coll-βCS) for programmed wound healing. This hydrogel combines immunomodulatory properties of collagen with cationic antimicrobial capacity of βCS, while avoiding the safety concerns associated with mammalian collagen. In the initial phases, Coll-βCS absorbs tissue exudate, promoting autolytic debridement while acting as a barrier. The cationic antibacterial properties of CS to stabilize the wound microenvironment. Subsequently, the immunomodulatory capacity of Coll regulates M1/M2 macrophage phenotypes, promoting fibroblast proliferation. Furthermore, the elastic modulus of it matches healthy skin, providing optimal wound support while preventing stress shielding effects, thereby inhibiting scar formation. The evaluation of cellular and animal model confirmed that the Coll-βCS hydrogel indicated a 26.75 % faster closure vs. control at day 7, accelerating collagen deposition and neovascularization. In short, the Coll-βCS hydrogel achieves comprehensive structural and functional regeneration of damaged tissue through multifaceted synergistic effects.