Bioactive and Injectable Granular Hydrogels Incorporating Decellularized Extracellular Matrix

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Decellularized extracellular matrices (dECMs) offer bioactive cues for tissue repair but lack mechanical strength.
• Temporomandibular joint disc (TMJd) tissues have limited natural regenerative capacity.
• Granular hydrogels offer injectable, mechanically stable microparticles for tissue repair.

Purpose of the Study:

• To combine the bioactivity of dECM with the mechanical stability of norbornene hyaluronic acid (NorHA) granular hydrogels.
• To create an injectable and bioactive biomaterial for TMJd repair.
• To investigate the impact of dECM concentration on microgel properties and cell interaction.

Main Methods:

• Encapsulation of dECM (0.4% and 0.8%) within NorHA microgels.
• Formation of granular hydrogels with shear-thinning and self-healing properties.
• Secondary cross-linking via visible light or interstitial dECM addition.
• Assessment of microgel stiffness, ECM release, and fibrochondrocyte adhesion.

Main Results:

• dECM incorporation increased microgel stiffness and supported sustained ECM release.
• Granular hydrogels exhibited shear-thinning and self-healing capabilities.
• Incorporated dECM supported fibrochondrocyte adhesion, creating an injectable and bioactive material.

Conclusions:

• The developed dECM-NorHA granular hydrogels are injectable, bioactive, and mechanically tunable.
• This system shows promise for enhancing the repair of fibrocartilaginous tissues like the TMJd.
• The combination of dECM bioactivity and granular hydrogel mechanics offers a versatile platform for regenerative applications.