Advanced hydrogel architectures for neural tissue engineering: Design, mechanisms of functional recovery, and...

Advanced designs of hydrogels, such as stimuli-sensitive hydrogels, possess the versatile physicochemical properties to replicate the key features of the native neural microenvironment and are emerging practical biomaterials for neural tissue engineering. We summarize recent advances in natural and synthetic polymer-based hydrogels for neural regeneration, focusing on their ability to promote neural cell survival and differentiation, regulate stem cell fate, and enable axonal regeneration and outgrowth. To summarize, advanced hydrogel platforms have demonstrated abilities to provide structural and biochemical support for neural regeneration, especially for the targeted delivery of therapeutic agents including extracellular vesicles, growth factors, and stem/progenitor cells. A design framework is then presented which connects key material parameters and hydrogel architectures to therapeutic outcomes, guiding the development of next-generation biomaterials for effective neural injury repair. Moreover, a patent landscape analysis is presented to systematically characterize the current innovation pathways, emerging trends and the translational readiness of hydrogel-based neural repair strategies. This analysis demonstrates a dynamic and increasing development in this field, with the majority of patent filings in the US and WO systems. However, such sophisticated hydrogel systems still need optimization, mechanistic investigation and validation through longer-term pre-clinical and clinical studies before they can be fully translated into effective therapies for neural repair.