From Skin to Nerve: Mapping Tissue-Specific Innovations in Gelatin-Dopamine Hydrogel Platforms

The biomimetic adhesive qualities, biocompatibility, and multifunctionality of biomaterials containing gelatin and dopamine have propelled them to the forefront of regenerative medicine. This review's goal involves investigating all the published studies about gelatin-dopamine systems in great detail, with a focus on how they may be used in medicine on many different types of tissue. By designing discussion around distinct tissues, specifically skin, bone, neural tissue, and cardiovascular tissue, we provide an in-depth examination of how dopamine affects material properties like adhesion, mechanical strength, antioxidant capacity, and self-healing behavior. The discussion encompasses key fabrication strategies, such as grafting methods, crosslinking mechanisms, and biomaterial processing. The review emphasizes cell-material interactions, in vitro and in vivo performance, and the therapeutic outcomes observed in preclinical studies. To advance the next generation of customized regenerative therapies, this work not only synthesizes existing knowledge on gelatin-dopamine biomaterials but also suggests future research directions, such as integrating cutting-edge technologies like nanocomposites, 3D bioprinting, and smart drug delivery systems.