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Gels
Special Issues
Advanced Hydrogels for Biomedical Applications
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Advanced Hydrogels for Biomedical Applications

A special issue of Gels (ISSN 2310-2861).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2022) | Viewed by 16264

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Chuanliang Feng

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
State Key Lab of Metal Matrix Composites, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
Interests: the design and synthesis of novel polymer or supramolecular hydrogels; chiral biomaterials; three-dimensional tissue engineering materials; the visualization of cell-matrix interaction in three dimensions
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Xiaoqiu Dou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
State Key Lab of Metal Matrix Composites, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
Interests: stimuli-responsive and chiral hydrogels for applications of tissue repair and biotechnology fields

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Hydrogels have existed for more than half a century and are a unique class of material that possesses both solid-like and liquid-like characteristics. Nowadays, hydrogels are one of the best candidates for use in artificial biomaterials because of their high water content, biocompatibility, and resemblance to the gel-like character of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Based on different intermolecular interactions, two types of hydrogels can be distinguished: chemical hydrogels and physical hydrogels. In chemical hydrogels, the solid component is linked covalently. As a result, the formation of these chemical hydrogels is often irreversible but stable. In physical hydrogels, the solid component consists of small molecular units that are linked via non-covalent interactions (e.g., hydrogen bonds, π–π stacking, hydrophobic, electrostatic, or van der Waals interactions). Due to the nature of non-covalent interactions, physical gels are often stimuli-responsive systems. Due to their flexibility and versatility, hydrogels have been applied in various biological fields, such as drug delivery systems, wound dressings, tissue engineering scaffolds, contact lenses, biosensors, and so on. The intention of this Special Issue is to summarize the recent progress in the development of functional hydrogels and present advances in their biomedical applications, including in cell culture scaffolds for the regulation of cell behaviors (e.g., cell adhesion, proliferation, migration, and differentiation), drug release, injectable implants, bio-recognition, regenerative medicine, etc. Challenges and developmental opportunities in this attractive area will be presented and discussed.

Prof. Dr. Chuanliang Feng
Dr. Xiaoqiu Dou
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Gels is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • hydrogels
  • biomaterials
  • tissue engineering
  • cell culture
  • regenerative medicine
  • bio-recognition
  • wound dressings
  • drug release
  • tissue implants

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 2561 KiB  
Article
Swelling and Mechanical Characterization of Polyelectrolyte Hydrogels as Potential Synthetic Cartilage Substitute Materials
by Johanna Romischke, Anton Scherkus, Michael Saemann, Simone Krueger, Rainer Bader, Udo Kragl and Johanna Meyer
Gels 2022, 8(5), 296; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels8050296 - 12 May 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3026
Abstract
Hydrogels have become an increasingly interesting topic in numerous fields of application. In addition to their use as immobilization matrixes in (bio)catalysis, they are widely used in the medical sector, e.g., in drug delivery systems, contact lenses, biosensors, electrodes, and tissue engineering. Cartilage [...] Read more.
Hydrogels have become an increasingly interesting topic in numerous fields of application. In addition to their use as immobilization matrixes in (bio)catalysis, they are widely used in the medical sector, e.g., in drug delivery systems, contact lenses, biosensors, electrodes, and tissue engineering. Cartilage tissue engineering hydrogels from natural origins, such as collagen, hyaluronic acid, and gelatin, are widely known for their good biocompatibility. However, they often lack stability, reproducibility, and mechanical strength. Synthetic hydrogels, on the other hand, can have the advantage of tunable swelling and mechanical properties, as well as good reproducibility and lower costs. In this study, we investigated the swelling and mechanical properties of synthetic polyelectrolyte hydrogels. The resulting characteristics such as swelling degree, stiffness, stress, as well as stress-relaxation and cyclic loading behavior, were compared to a commercially available biomaterial, the ChondroFiller® liquid, which is already used to treat articular cartilage lesions. Worth mentioning are the observed good reproducibility and high mechanical strength of the synthetic hydrogels. We managed to synthesize hydrogels with a wide range of compressive moduli from 2.5 ± 0.1 to 1708.7 ± 67.7 kPa, which addresses the span of human articular cartilage. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Hydrogels for Biomedical Applications)
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13 pages, 3551 KiB  
Article
The Preparation and Properties of Composite Hydrogels Based on Gelatin and (3-Aminopropyl) Trimethoxysilane Grafted Cellulose Nanocrystals Covalently Linked with Microbial Transglutaminase
by Shouwei Zhao, Zhiwei Chen, Yaqi Dong, Wenhui Lu and Deyi Zhu
Gels 2022, 8(3), 146; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels8030146 - 26 Feb 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2581
Abstract
Mechanically enhanced gelatin-based composite hydrogels were developed in the presence of functionalized cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) employing microbial transglutaminase (mTG) as a binding agent. In this work, the surfaces of CNCs were grafted with (3-Aminopropyl) trimethoxysilane with a NH2 functional group, and the [...] Read more.
Mechanically enhanced gelatin-based composite hydrogels were developed in the presence of functionalized cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) employing microbial transglutaminase (mTG) as a binding agent. In this work, the surfaces of CNCs were grafted with (3-Aminopropyl) trimethoxysilane with a NH2 functional group, and the success of CNCs’ modification was verified by FTIR spectroscopy and XPS. The higher degree of modification in CNCs resulted in more covalent cross-linking and dispersibility within the gelatin matrix; thus, the as-prepared hydrogels showed significantly improved mechanical properties and thermo-stability, as revealed by dynamic rheological analysis, uniaxial compression tests and SEM. The biocompatibility of the obtained hydrogels was evaluated by the MTT method, and it was found that the grafted CNCs had no obvious inhibitory effect on cell proliferation. Hence, the mechanically enhanced gelatin-based hydrogels might have great potential in biomedical applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Hydrogels for Biomedical Applications)
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22 pages, 4556 KiB  
Article
New Formulations Loading Caspofungin for Topical Therapy of Vulvovaginal Candidiasis
by Noelia Pérez-González, Nuria Bozal-de Febrer, Ana C. Calpena-Campmany, Anna Nardi-Ricart, María J. Rodríguez-Lagunas, José A. Morales-Molina, José L. Soriano-Ruiz, Francisco Fernández-Campos and Beatriz Clares-Naveros
Gels 2021, 7(4), 259; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels7040259 - 12 Dec 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3206
Abstract
Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) poses a significant problem worldwide affecting women from all strata of society. It is manifested as changes in vaginal discharge, irritation, itching and stinging sensation. Although most patients respond to topical treatment, there is still a need for increase the [...] Read more.
Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) poses a significant problem worldwide affecting women from all strata of society. It is manifested as changes in vaginal discharge, irritation, itching and stinging sensation. Although most patients respond to topical treatment, there is still a need for increase the therapeutic arsenal due to resistances to anti-infective agents. The present study was designed to develop and characterize three hydrogels of chitosan (CTS), Poloxamer 407 (P407) and a combination of both containing 2% caspofungin (CSP) for the vaginal treatment of VVC. CTS was used by its mucoadhesive properties and P407 was used to exploit potential advantages related to increasing drug concentration in order to provide a local effect. The formulations were physically, mechanically and morphologically characterized. Drug release profile and ex vivo vaginal permeation studies were performed. Antifungal efficacy against different strains of Candida spp. was also evaluated. In addition, tolerance of formulations was studied by histological analysis. Results confirmed that CSP hydrogels could be proposed as promising candidates for the treatment of VVC. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Hydrogels for Biomedical Applications)
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19 pages, 5562 KiB  
Article
Ibuprofen-Loaded Chitosan–Lipid Nanoconjugate Hydrogel with Gum Arabic: Green Synthesis, Characterisation, In Vitro Kinetics Mechanistic Release Study and PGE2 Production Test
by Syed Mahmood, Samah Hamed Almurisi, Khater AL-Japairai, Ayah Rebhi Hilles, Walla Alelwani, Azzah M. Bannunah, Farhan Alshammari and Fawaz Alheibshy
Gels 2021, 7(4), 254; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels7040254 - 08 Dec 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3449
Abstract
Ibuprofen is a well-known non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) medicine that is often used to treat inflammation in general. When given orally, it produces gastrointestinal issues which lead to lower patient compliance. Ibuprofen transdermal administration improves both patient compliance and the efficacy of the drug. [...] Read more.
Ibuprofen is a well-known non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) medicine that is often used to treat inflammation in general. When given orally, it produces gastrointestinal issues which lead to lower patient compliance. Ibuprofen transdermal administration improves both patient compliance and the efficacy of the drug. Nanoconjugation hydrogels were proposed as a controlled transdermal delivery tool for ibuprofen. Six formulations were prepared using different compositions including chitosan, lipids, gum arabic, and polyvinyl alcohol, through ionic interaction, maturation, and freeze–thaw methods. The formulations were characterised by size, drug conjugation efficiency, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Further analysis of optimised hydrogels was performed, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), rheology, gel fraction and swelling ability, in vitro drug release, and in vitro macrophage prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production testing. The effects of ibuprofen’s electrostatic interaction with a lipid or polymer on the physicochemical and dissolution characterisation of ibuprofen hydrogels were evaluated. The results showed that the S3 (with lipid conjugation) hydrogel provided higher conjugation efficiency and prolonged drug release compared with the S6 hydrogel. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Hydrogels for Biomedical Applications)
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11 pages, 41924 KiB  
Article
Tissue Adhesion-Anisotropic Polyrotaxane Hydrogels Bilayered with Collagen
by Masahiro Hakariya, Yoshinori Arisaka, Hiroki Masuda, Tetsuya Yoda, Atsushi Tamura, Takanori Iwata and Nobuhiko Yui
Gels 2021, 7(4), 168; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels7040168 - 13 Oct 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3179
Abstract
Hydrogels are promising materials in tissue engineering scaffolds for healing and regenerating damaged biological tissues. Previously, we developed supramolecular hydrogels using polyrotaxane (PRX), consisting of multiple cyclic molecules threaded by an axis polymer for modulating cellular responses. However, since hydrogels generally have a [...] Read more.
Hydrogels are promising materials in tissue engineering scaffolds for healing and regenerating damaged biological tissues. Previously, we developed supramolecular hydrogels using polyrotaxane (PRX), consisting of multiple cyclic molecules threaded by an axis polymer for modulating cellular responses. However, since hydrogels generally have a large amount of water, their adhesion to tissues is extremely weak. Herein, we designed a bilayered hydrogel with a PRX layer and a collagen layer (PRX/collagen hydrogel) to achieve rapid and strong adhesion to the target tissue. The PRX/collagen hydrogel was fabricated by polymerizing PRX crosslinkers in water with placement of a collagen sponge. The differences in components between the PRX and collagen layers were analyzed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). After confirming that the fibroblasts adhered to both layers of the PRX/collagen hydrogels, the hydrogels were implanted subcutaneously in mice. The PRX hydrogel without collagen moved out of its placement site 24 h after implantation, whereas the bilayer hydrogel was perfectly adherent at the site. Together, these findings indicate that the bilayer structure generated using PRX and collagen may be a rational design for performing anisotropic adhesion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Hydrogels for Biomedical Applications)
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