Recent Advances in Hydrogels as Therapeutic Tools for Spinal Cord Injury Regeneration

It is estimated that more than 27 million people worldwide suffer from spinal cord injury (SCI) due to road traffic accidents, falls, and other causes, with 1 million new cases occurring each year. The primary objectives of SCI repair are to prevent further damage to nerves, inhibit glial scar and inflammatory responses, and facilitate nerve regeneration. However, at present, there is no curative therapy available. Despite the long-standing utilization of conventional pharmaceutical interventions and surgical approaches in clinical settings, these approaches have not yielded optimal therapeutic outcomes. Recent research based on regenerative medicine suggests that biomaterials containing cells, drugs, and bioactive molecules, especially hydrogels, have tremendous potential to repair SCI.

This paper summarizes the pathogenesis and current treatments of SCI, and provides a systematic review of the physicochemical properties and classification of hydrogels. It also explores the combination of hydrogels with therapeutic cells, as well as various small molecules and drug delivery strategies based on hydrogels.

Hydrogels can facilitate the restructuring of axons, the promotion of nerve function recovery, and the delivery of drugs or cells to the lesion, which provides novel insights into the treatment of SCI.

The employment of hydrogel, encompassing both natural and synthetic hydrogels or hydrogel combinations, has emerged as a novel and effective approach to treating SCI. We are grateful for the suggestions on this manuscript and sincerely thank the reviewers for their attention and support.