A quality by design approach to optimise disulfide-linked hyaluronic acid hydrogels.

In this study, the disulfide-linked hyaluronic acid (HA) hydrogels were optimised for potential application as a scaffold in tissue engineering through the Quality by Design (QbD) approach. For this purpose, HA was first modified by incorporating the cysteine moiety into the HA backbone, which promoted the formation of disulfide cross-linked HA hydrogel at physiological pH. Utilising a Design of Experiments (DoE) methodology, the critical factors to achieve stable biomaterials, i.

Physically and Chemically Crosslinked Hyaluronic Acid-Based Hydrogels Differentially Promote Axonal Outgrowth from Neural Tissue Cultures.

Our aim was to investigate axonal outgrowth from different tissue models on soft biomaterials based on hyaluronic acid (HA). We hypothesized that HA-based hydrogels differentially promote axonal outgrowth from different neural tissues. Spinal cord sliced cultures (SCSCs) and dorsal root ganglion cultures (DRGCs) were maintained on a collagen gel, a physically crosslinked HA-based hydrogel (Healon 5) and a novel chemically crosslinked HA-based hydrogel, with or without the presence of neurotrophic factors (NF).

Unveiling extracellular matrix assembly: Insights and approaches through bioorthogonal chemistry.

Visualizing cells, tissues, and their components specifically without interference with cellular functions, such as biochemical reactions, and cellular viability remains important for biomedical researchers worldwide. For an improved understanding of disease progression, tissue formation during development, and tissue regeneration, labeling extracellular matrix (ECM) components secreted by cells persists is required. Bioorthogonal chemistry approaches offer solutions to visualizing and labeling ECM constituents without interfering with other chemical or biological events.

Dynamic covalent crosslinked hyaluronic acid hydrogels and nanomaterials for biomedical applications.

Hyaluronic acid (HA), one of the main components of the extracellular matrix (ECM), is extensively used in the design of hydrogels and nanoparticles for different biomedical applications due to its critical role , degradability by endogenous enzymes, and absence of immunogenicity. HA-based hydrogels and nanoparticles have been developed by utilizing different crosslinking chemistries. The development of such crosslinking chemistries indicates that even subtle differences in the structure of reactive groups or the procedure of crosslinking may have a profound impact on the intended mechanical, physical and biological outcomes.

Advances in the Sensing and Treatment of Wound Biofilms.

Wound biofilms represent a particularly challenging problem in modern medicine. They are increasingly antibiotic resistant and can prevent the healing of chronic wounds. However, current treatment and diagnostic options are hampered by the complexity of the biofilm environment.

Immunomodulation of Skin Repair: Cell-Based Therapeutic Strategies for Skin Replacement (A Comprehensive Review).

The immune system has a crucial role in skin wound healing and the application of specific cell-laden immunomodulating biomaterials emerged as a possible treatment option to drive skin tissue regeneration. Cell-laden tissue-engineered skin substitutes have the ability to activate immune pathways, even in the absence of other immune-stimulating signals. In particular, mesenchymal stem cells with their immunomodulatory properties can create a specific immune microenvironment to reduce inflammation, scarring, and support skin regeneration.

Advances in the Sensing and Treatment of Wound Biofilms.

Wound biofilms represent a particularly challenging problem in modern medicine. They are increasingly antibiotic resistant and can prevent the healing of chronic wounds. However, current treatment and diagnostic options are hampered by the complexity of the biofilm environment.

Recent Advances in Chemically-Modified and Hybrid Carrageenan-Based Platforms for Drug Delivery, Wound Healing, and Tissue Engineering.

Recently, many studies have focused on carrageenan-based hydrogels for biomedical applications thanks to their intrinsic properties, including biodegradability, biocompatibility, resembling native glycosaminoglycans, antioxidants, antitumor, immunomodulatory, and anticoagulant properties. They can easily change to three-dimensional hydrogels using a simple ionic crosslinking process. However, there are some limitations, including the uncontrollable exchange of ions and the formation of a brittle hydrogel, which can be overcome via simple chemical modifications of polymer networks to form chemically crosslinked hydrogels with significant mechanical properties and a controlled degradation rate.

Nanocomposite hydrogel based on carrageenan-coated starch/cellulose nanofibers as a hemorrhage control material.

The aim of this study was to develop a novel Kappa carrageenan (κCA)-coated Starch/cellulose nanofiber (CNF) with adjustable mechanical, physical and biological properties for hemostatic applications. Results indicated that compared to Starch/CNF hydrogel, mechanical strength of κCA-coated Starch/CNF hydrogels significantly enhanced (upon 2 times), depending on the κCA content. Noticeably, the compressive strength of Starch/CNF increased from 15 ± 3 kPa to 27 ± 2 kPa in the 1% wt.

Advanced Hydrogels as Wound Dressings.

Skin is the largest organ of the human body, protecting it against the external environment. Despite high self-regeneration potential, severe skin defects will not heal spontaneously and need to be covered by skin substitutes. Tremendous progress has been made in the field of skin tissue engineering, in recent years, to develop new skin substitutes.

A multifunctional nanocomposite spray dressing of Kappa-carrageenan-polydopamine modified ZnO/L-glutamic acid for diabetic wounds.

Sprayable bioadhesives with exceptional properties were developed for application in wound healing. In this study, a visible light-crosslinkable nanocomposite bioadhesive hydrogel with multifunctional properties was proposed. While methacrylated Kappa-carrageenan (KaMA), mimicking the natural glycosaminoglycan was applied as the hydrogel matrix, various concentrations of polydopamine modified ZnO (ZnO/PD) nanoparticles (0, 0.

Sprayable and injectable visible-light Kappa-carrageenan hydrogel for in-situ soft tissue engineering.

The aim of this study was to develop injectable and sprayable visible-light crosslinked Kappa-carrageenan (κCA) hydrogel and to investigate the role of polymer concentration (2, 4 and 6 wt%) and degree of methacrylation (6 and 12%) on its properties. It was found that, the average pore sizes, water content and swelling ratio of hydrogel were tunable by changing the methacrylate κCA (KaMA) concentration and methacrylation degree. Furthermore, the mechanical properties of KaMA could be noticeably modulated, depending on the formulation of hydrogel.

An injectable mechanically robust hydrogel of Kappa-carrageenan-dopamine functionalized graphene oxide for promoting cell growth.

An injectable nanohybrid hydrogel with robust mechanical properties was developed based on Methacrylate-Kappa-carrageenan (KaMA)-dopamine functionalized graphene oxide (GOPD) for soft tissue engineering. KaMA-GOPD hydrogels revealed shear-thinning behavior and injectability through interaction of active catechol groups of dopamine with other moieties in the structure of hydrogels. In addition, these interactions promoted mechanical properties of hydrogels, depending on the GOPD content.