Morphologically adaptive microconical hydrogels of gelatin/polyvinyl alcohol with curcumin for diabetic wound repair

Conventional planar hydrogels cannot adequately conform to the irregular topography of complex wounds, which limits the efficiency of drug delivery. In this study, a morphologically adaptive microconical hydrogel (G/P@Cur MC) was developed, composed of physically cross-linked gelatin/polyvinyl alcohol and curcumin. Fabricated using a wound-replicating microporous mold, this dressing achieves conformal contact with the tissue and eliminates spatial blind zones in drug delivery. The G/P@Cur hydrogel integrates excellent mechanical properties, biocompatibility, and sustained release characteristics, and exhibits multiple biological activities, including the promotion of cell migration, angiogenesis, reactive oxygen species scavenging, and M2 macrophage polarization. In a full-thickness skin defect model in diabetic rats, the G/P@Cur MC significantly accelerated wound healing through synergistic antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and pro-angiogenic mechanisms. This topology-adaptive platform offers a novel strategy for precision treatment of wounds.