A review of smart alginate-based biomaterials: Innovations and challenges in tissue engineering and regenerative...

Organ shortages and transplant rejections underscore the urgent need for advanced regenerative solutions. Alginate, a biocompatible polysaccharide from brown algae, is pivotal in tissue engineering due to its tunable gelation and extracellular matrix-mimicking properties. This review explores the synthesis and functionalization of alginate-based biomaterials, which integrate polymers, ceramics, and nanomaterials to enhance cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation for bone, cartilage, and soft tissue regeneration. Advanced fabrication techniques, such as 3D/4D bioprinting and microfluidics, achieve precise scaffold architectures, with preclinical outcomes showing significant cell viability and robust tissue integration. Smart alginate hydrogels, responsive to pH, light, temperature, or magnetic stimuli, facilitate controlled release of bioactive molecules promoting angiogenesis. Computational modeling and AI-driven design optimize scaffold performance, predicting drug release kinetics with more accuracy. Despite these advances, challenges such as limited mechanical strength, immune responses, and scalability persist. Future directions focus on personalized scaffolds, sustainable algal sourcing, and scalable bioprinting to accelerate clinical translation. This review highlights the transformative potential of alginate in regenerative medicine, offering insights into advancing smart polysaccharide-based biomaterials.